Breaking the Ice - A Helsa Fanfic
by Missbexiee
Summary: My interpretation of how Frozen should have ended... What if the trolls had changed it so that Anna would fall for Kristoff instead of Hans? What if Hans still felt he needed to save Anna? He teams up with Elsa on journey that brings them closer together than either would have ever thought in order to find Anna's true love... and in the midst of it all they find their own romance.
1. A Troll's Curse - I

**First time I've written anything for Frozen... or Disney in general. **

**Anyways, I loved the songs from this movie and thought the animation was fun. I was just really disappointed with how Hans was written and then written off. So this is a "How It Should Have Ended..." type story. I hope you all enjoy, it was fun coming up with this different plot twists and pov's.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or Frozen**

* * *

"_So she's a bit of a fixer-upper_," the trolls respond to Anna's engagement, singing in the archaic tune known only to very few. The tune is somewhat sinister, allowing for magic to flow in the air and grab on to the emotions of the scene. Unbeknownst to them, Anna and Kristoff only exchange embarrassed glances towards one another with shy grins.

"_That's a minor thing!_"

Bulda, Kristoff's impromptu mother's eyes begin to twinkle as the magic surrounding the rocks begins manifesting stronger within themselves. _It's time_, she sensed something special in this girl. That perhaps Anna could marry her little boy. Her fellow creatures all knew what to do, they knew who they had to get rid of, who they had to get out of the way in order to support Kristoff.

"_Her quote 'engagement' is a flex arrangement_," the voices boom in a sort of chant as the trolls dance more in tact with one another and pick up speed. To what seems innocent to an outsider is only gaining a much more trickster like glow in the realm of mystical arts.

Anna's eyes grow wide as a smaller troll child grabs her hand, "_and by the way I don't see no ring_!" She pulls her hand back and smooths the skin, it itches a bit. She hadn't noticed the prick.

The small troll hobbles over towards Bulda and gives the small lick of blood amongst the dancing as they all smile keeping the happy song – or what it should really be called, a_ spell - _going.

"_Get the fiance out of the way and the whole thing will be fixed_!" Bulda happily hums in agreement as she uses her power to concoct a new personality, not one for Anna. One that will distort another person. One that will get a certain someone out of the way for her dearest Kristoff.

The troll family keeps the two, along with their snowman and reindeer, occupied as Bulda sends off in a whisk of light rolling down the hill as an unsuspecting rock. Kristoff would have his love, for there were things the trolls could read within the humans. And this was something they knew for certain: Anna and Kristoff held a spark for one another... but something within Anna wouldn't let this fiance of hers go so lightly.

Anna is going to be in search of this fiance to cure her sister's attack and save her life. What she needs is an act of true love... _well_, it seems Bulda's mission now is to make sure the fiance _isn't_ her true love, leaving only Kristoff as a viable option for Anna to fall in love with.

* * *

**Reviews and comments are appreciated, thank you! **


	2. Elsa, Please - II

**These aren't very long chapters obviously, but I hope you're enjoying the different pov's!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or Frozen**

* * *

"Elsa," Hans stares at the beautiful queen with the longing eyes of determination. The setting of the jail does nothing to break the passion in their conversation, "please... stop the winter."

Her heart aches as the man's soothing voice attempts to lull into her, "I... can't." Her face turns to him, broken into pieces of visible heartbreak. Her voice cracks again as her eyes look ready to well over with shards of water, "I can't."

Hans reaches for her gentle face, only for her to instinctively turn away, "Don't be afraid, Queen Elsa. We can solve this problem. We can protect Anna. Together"

Elsa's eyes light up for a brief moment and then die back down, "I've already hurt her too much... I-I," the room starts changing into an eery cold, "just leave me alone!" Her body sinks to the ground, the chains clamber amongst one another, but Hans ignores them as he leans down to her body, to join her on the cold ground.

"Anna is counting on you. Arendelle needs their Queen. Queen Elsa, I need you. Please."

"You need me?" She stares up into those green eyes, and for some reason feels sympathetic towards the man, "Anna, you want her here don't you?" She turns to her side, breaking her gaze with the man, "You really love her, don't you?"

"Of course I do," Hans smiles, staring out at the snowy mountain obstructed by the barred window, "I've never met a girl like her. Full of life and fun," he chuckles to himself, "a girl who'd rather skip than walk."

Elsa briefly smiles, "I'm sorry about my remarks over my blessing earlier. I guess I didn't see how much you cared for her..." She shakes her head as more depression slips into the young Queens demeanor, "I guess I just do everything wrong."

"Don't say that!" This time, in the shock of the statement Elsa allows Hans to touch her. His hands are light on her shoulders, "I would kill for a sibling as attentive as you, Queen Elsa." He rolls his eyes, "I bet you _any_ money none of my own brothers even know where I am right now."

"I-..." Elsa starts her confession but locks herself back up, "Hans, you should leave. Staying here – they'll think you're plotting something." Elsa stands, breaking Hans's grip and leaving him on the ground as she stands to stare out the window into the snowy wasteland of her once vibrant kingdom.

"We'll get this settled, Queen Elsa," Hans frowns as he notes the Queens icy tone, "I'll bring in a few more blankets for you..."

"Don't bother," she doesn't turn to look at him, "the cold doesn't bother me."

He nods, but still makes a mental note of bringing more down for her anyways. He wants her to be comfortable. The castle is large, and the dungeons are depressing. Hans wonders why a place as peaceful as Arendelle even has dungeons to begin with. He had begged to have Queen Elsa placed in a nicer, warm room inside the castle; but he was overruled by the advisers of the court, fearful of her powers.

* * *

**Reviews and comments are appreciated. Thanks for reading!**


	3. Hans In Charge - III

**Disclaimer: I do not ****own Disney or Frozen**

* * *

"Prince Hans of the Southern Isles!" A small old gentlemen angrily pouts in front of Hans, "I demand to have Queen Elsa executed at once. She is a danger to us all. We should deal with her once and for all while we have the chance!"

Hans runs his gloved hand through his hair, sometimes he wishes Anna hadn't left him in charge, "What has she done? She's of no harm anymore. Princess Anna, when she returns will have Queen Elsa melt the snow and everything will be back to normal."

"Princess Anna could be dead for all we know!" The Duke of Wesleton smiles as he stirs emotions deep within Hans.

"How dare you insinuate something as terrible as death! I'm sure Princess Anna will be returning any day now," Hans turns in a huff, satisfied with his beratement of the duke. How dare he even suggest Anna was hurt.

"Excuse me, Prince," A squeaky voice from behind the towering men pops out like a mouse, "dinner is ready, perhaps eating will settle your minds?"

Hans snorts, "It'd be nicer if we could invite the Queen up into her _own _dining quarters," he raises his voice so that the advisers around him can hear him, "apparently she's too dangerous to even eat!"

The rich nobles raise their brows at the young prince's outbursts as he somewhat childishly storms off to the large dining hall, fed up with all their silly accusations and interpretations of logic. The Duke simply chuckles cruelly, causing Hans to stop in his tracks.

"Perhaps you_ love_, Queen Elsa."

A heavy blush rises to Hans's cheeks as he freezes. He didn't love Queen Elsa... he respected her... The eyes of the nobles lay intently on the spectacle. His head shakes, slowly coming to terms with ignoring the silly provocation. He loved _Anna_. Anna.

His head swings with slight confusion as he continues on his regular path to the wafting smell of food. Little had he heard the pizzicato tiptoeing of a conniving troll set out to change the course of his life. Bulda snickers to herself, hiding carefully next to the looming statue of an armored knight.

_So this was Prince Hans_... the man who was taking Anna away from Kristoff. He didn't seem so great... what else could be going on in that big head of hair of his?

* * *

**Reviews and comments are appreciated, please continue reading and supporting! =)**


	4. Time For Change - IV

**Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Disney**

* * *

Hans tries to steady his breathing as he sits near the head of the dining table. He had opened the gates, allowing any of Arendelle's citizens to join them for meals of warm cocoa and hot soup – it's something Anna would have done. Their minds work in similar fashions. The workers hurry quickly down the halls, placing dishes on every table, clearly unused to this level of attendance.

A young woman places a napkin before Hans, with a very timid attitude. She jumps as he speaks, "I'm sorry for having you all work so hard."

She stifles her squeak and begins to reply, "Oh, not a problem at all dear Prince! We love the company. For so long it was just the sisters and now the castle is filled with life again!"

Hans chuckles as he picks up his chalice with gloved hand, "But with Anna running around, I find it hard to think the castle is ever at a loss for entertainment."

The young worker smiles at the Prince as he begins to daintily cut his food. As fate would have it, the Duke chooses the seat across from him. Hans bites his lip in anticipation, but sneaks a smile under his breath at the loose toupee atop the Duke's head – it seems it could bounce off with any sudden movement.

Hans takes a deep breath and decides to go the princely route, "Forgive me for my outburst earlier. I am only under the stress of trying to protect Arendelle and reunite it with its beloved sisters."

The Duke nods, "Of course. I apologize as well. We're all a bit heated..." his finger traces the top of his glass creating a soft hum, "if you're in charge of Arendelle for the time being, perhaps you'd like to update their trading partners for them? Wesleton would _love_ to come and harvest whatever secret the ice holds, maybe -"

Hans stops the Duke, "I'm sorry, I am only in charge of keeping order. My second rule of business is getting the summer back; when the summer's back I'm sure Queen Elsa would speak with you." His eyes flash back down to his food, dismissing the conversation.

"Ah – but, um, how will the summer come back? Queen Elsa is a monster who has cursed this land!"

Hans scoffs, "she hasn't cursed the land, she's merely made a mistake. She needs to speak with her sister and they'll solve it together -"

"They already spoke and no good came of it. Anna is a lost cause -" He stops himself at Hans's growing emotions. The room almost seems quiet. Awaiting the Prince's response.

"Excuse me, I think I'm going to turn in for the night a little early."

A few nobles nod to him, wishing him a good rest as he moves regally out of the room. He grabs his head as soon as out of the public eye, his heart beating quicker, _please come back Anna_. The stairs escort him into the guest chambers.

***THUD* **

He turns a brief moment and watches an armored statue tilt on its side. Wobble just a moment. His eyebrow raises, scanning the room carefully. The troll mother crouches wide eyed underneath the staircase awaiting the creaks from Hans.

_It was nothing. _Hans deduces his weary demeanor has caused him to start seeing things. It was time for bed. He continues into the chamber and starts to change out of his uniform for the day. He tousles his hair letting it hang naturally. His shirt shines in the fire lit candle as he lifts it over his head revealing his bare body.

A shadow is cast from behind the ornate changing screen. Bulda curiously watches Hans's body in its mortal form... not in the position he usually holds it in, but slouched and casual. She shakes her head, never forgetting why she's here. But there's something intriguing her, something behind the man's face that is not revealed.

Hans removes his gloves carefully, placing them on the table next to him. He changes into the pajama trousers provided as he unbuckles his military shoes. His body heaves a deep sigh as he rubs his head once more, done with all this thinking – how had his older brother done it?

Bulda scurries under the bed, not that Hans in his state is even paying attention anymore, and waits as the bed heaves under new weight. A loud yawn escapes the Prince's lips as his eyes drowsily shut from the stress that higher positions hold.

It's her time now! Bulda jumps out from under the bed, casting a light spell over Hans to keep him asleep. She begins to inspect his body, throwing over the covers. How can she get rid of Anna's true love?

* * *

**Reviews and comments are appreciated! Thanks!**


	5. Hans's Memories - V

**Bit of a longer chapter for you guys - goes into Hans's past a bit more!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or Frozen**

* * *

Hans's leg curls up near his chest, in a somewhat innocent and childlike position. The pajama bottoms tug up and reveal deep childhood scars on his legs. Bulda hobbles to them and inspects, tracing them with stone fingers. She pulls out a green mist held within them connecting them to their respective memories.

In the dark room, the bright mist shines and shows a young freckled boy with a bright smile. His short legs scurry to catch the older boys, running much faster then him, "Theo, Bastian, wait for me!" The young child yells out in his fancy clothes.

"Oi, forget him," the older one laughs, "he's too slow!" The boys grab their horses and with ease climb atop them, getting ready to gallop off into the distance.

"Wait!" The little boy's distraught voice cries out, still running to catch up. He doesn't anticipate the stone obstacle in front of him and trips, catching his foot. The boy's small body skids on the ground, the hard rocks ripping holes into his knees and legs.

His eyes get watery and Bulda hears the word _failure _being repeated in Hans's mind. She sighs at the sad memory (they're never memories you want to read of someone) as she tries to continue on with the memories. They don't get better, they consist of young Hans trying to pick off the scabs, in attempt to show no pain through tear stricken eyes. Of him always trying to push himself harder than he should have to in order to match his brothers.

The boy had always pushed himself. Even beneath the visible scars on his legs, lay the scars of words. The mist plays the scene troubling Hans the most and Bulda nosily reads into it.

"Mommy... where are you going?" The boy is drenched in rain he's not much older than he was in the last picture, he continues following his mother out into the rain, "Mommy, come back!"

The woman turns and for a brief moment is struck with grief, but hides it with a cruel laugh, "Go back inside."

Tears fall from the little boy's face and start mixing with the rain as he runs and clutches onto her cloak, "Please mommy, I love you," he cries into her long skirt blowing amidst the storm.

"_If only someone loved you, Hans..._"

And that's all she says as she breaks away from the sobbing boy. The boy who was supposed to be the little girl she wanted. But the Queen had failed at producing a daughter for the kingdom – instead it was just another sickly boy. Instead it was Hans.

Bulda notices Hans's face struggling to sleep at being reminded of the dark memory, in a moment of sympathy she pulls it out of him, calming him. She taps her stone chin... _what can I use_?

Another memory is thrusted out at her, almost as sad as the last. This boy's father, the King of the Southern Isles. His face worn and grisly, he turns to the young teenager with the gangly figure and greasy hair.

"Hans was it? Right, Hans," he turns to his thirteenth son. The unlucky number. The one the trolls said would be a girl, but wasn't, "you're telling me you want an education..."

"Yes father..." Hans stares at his shoes, "I want to learn."

"Why? To be better than your brothers?"

Hans swallows the lump in his throat, "N-No, I... please, father."

The large man merely chuckles and nods, "Fine, I'll send you to school," he narrows his eyes, "just never forget what I do for you. How I forgive you for killing my wife everyday of your pathetic life."

This pierces through the young boy like a knife, "she was _my_ mother."

The King grimaces at the boy in disgust, "Leave, educate yourself. _You won't be missed_."

The young teenager turns to exit the castle, "Oh, and Hans. Don't ever embarrass me, or you will _never be known as my son_."

Bulda shivers at the hostility found within the family. She ponders whether or not she should adjust these terrible remarks, but remembers her real purpose. Still, there was something so sad about this boy's life. He was either forgotten by some of his brothers, or hated by others. At least there are a few happy moments in the boy's life.

She smiles a bit finding his relationship to his horse like that of Kristoff and his reindeer. The young prince had always been fond of brushing the horse's hair, and bathing the horse instead of having the stable masters do it. He slept more often in the stables with his horse than inside the castle.

"Come on Sitron! Let's go play!" The young prince would almost always greet his horse. The tanned and black horse would gladly gallop around with the little boy. Bulda didn't dare touch those memories of fun she let them dance around in the troubled Prince's head.

"Alright, let's start getting somewhere... what do you really want?" Bulda asked, talking to herself as she tapped on the Prince's head pulling out his desires. The images were varied but his number one goal was to marry Anna. Bulda's troll eyes shook at the image of the young prince kissing the giggling princess on the cheek in her long white gown, "Come on there's gotta be something better than that!"

A picture of Hans flashes by. It's of him only, looking sternly in the picture. Dressed as a King holding the scepter. Wearing a crown decorated with jewels. Bulda laughs gently, _he wants to be King..._

She claps her hand ready to make Hans's priorities shift to taking over a kingdom when another image flashes by. It's of his gloved hand within another gloved hand, this one light blue and dainty. Another woman? Bulda scans the image, and notices it's Queen Elsa. Her eyes grow wide.

Would she shift his priorities toward being King or... Elsa, a hopeless cause?

"He's already been hurt enough..." she curses her big heart as she weaves a spell with Anna's blood. She quickly pricks Hans and chants a short hum, mixing the memories and priorities all in a swirl and capturing them all in her stone hands.

She places them back into Hans. Patting his forehead and letting him sleep as she pulls the blanket back over him. Her work was done. No one ever said trolls were the most moral of mystical creatures, they were tricky – and family came first. She hopped into herself and began rolling out of the castle leaving a changed Hans in its wake.

* * *

**Reviews and comments are appreciated, thank you!**


	6. Not True Love - VI

**Seriously, this is how it should have gone...**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Disney.**

* * *

"We're almost there, Anna!" Kristoff, yelled, "Stay awake! We'll get you to Hans!" Sven gallops as quickly as Reindeer can through the snow – if only he could fly. Olaf hops out of the sleigh in the animation any snowman might as Kristoff gets ready to deliver Anna to Hans, not that he really wants to.

She struggles to keep her eyes open as the cold snow flies around her, she can only clutch Kristoff's chest tighter until she can be with Hans once more.

The Duke of Wesleton goes to answer the knocking at the gate, "Yes, how may I help you, it's very late..." He yawns as he notices a small girl in the peasant's arms, "By the beard of Zeus! It's the Princess!"

Workers and maids quickly scurry out to grab the fainting girl as she falls sicker and sicker into the castle. Hans is quickly awoken and redressed by the housekeepers, they smile with beams of happiness, "she's waiting for you dearie!"

"She needs true love's kiss!"

"True love's kiss?" Hans yawns a moment. For some reason... his head hurt and his stomach was queasy. Something about_ true love_... was he second guessing?

"This way, Prince!" He is escorted into a heated room where Anna lays distraught on the couch. She looks up to Hans through the glow of the fire.

Hans smiles as he sits down by her, taking her into his arms, "I was so worried, I-"

"No, don't talk!" Anna whines in worry, "I need you to kiss me! Kiss me!" Her eyes swim in his as she cries for help, "Please Hans, I'll die!"

The workers quickly hurry out of the room, "Oh, Anna."

Their lips part as they wait in anticipation of each other. Then they land. Strong thin lips on Anna's full soft pair. Hans pulls her in closer, sweating a bit in the heat of the room, but freezing in cold at Anna's touch. They hold for a moment later, and then break away.

Anna blinks, Hans frowns. Anna's eyes well up with tears as her head shakes, "It didn't work... It didn't work!" Her body drops in temperature once more as panic comes to her eyes again.

"Anna, shh," Hans tries to calm the sickly girl whose once auburn hair has turned a pale white, "we'll figure something out."

"It's too late!" Anna cries in frustration.

"You're going to tire yourself, we'll try again," Hans searches her face for something, for someway he can help her.

"No. We can't," she sniffles looking up into his intoxicating green eyes, "_you're not my true love..._"

Hans pulls back, dejected. Heartbroken. If someone could physically pull out his heart and stomp on it right in front of him, it would've just happened. But he wouldn't give up, "any idea who might be? You're_ true_ love..."

Her eyes reflect the fire burning in the pit, "Kristoff..."

"Who?" The name stung Hans's mouth like he was some sort of traitor only going to play with Anna's heart.

"He helped me up the mountain, and..." she turns away, "to get back to you."

Hans bites his lip, saddened his kiss wasn't good enough for Anna, "well, I'll go get him for you."

"It's too late!" Anna yells, trying to grab his hand. She almost pulls off his glove, and he instinctively pulls it back up with wide eyes. Who else did she know that did that?

"You stay here," he recovers and starts tucking her in blankets, "stay warm," he paces the room, "housekeeper!" He calls out. He waits a moment and no one comes, only a small snowman hobbles into the room, he reflexively jumps back, terrified at the thought of a second encounter with animate snow, "What are you?!"

"I'm an Olaf!" He happily responds, he looks towards the couch, "Anna!" He scurries over to her as quickly as his tiny feet can take him.

"You know her?"

"Of course, we're super great best friends. We took a big trip to get Elsa then another one to get her to see this guy called Hans."

"Oh," Hans nods, "can you do me a favor?" He looks at Anna already fast asleep, "please take care of her, I'll be back here very soon and get help for her, okay?"

The snowman nods happily as Hans steps out of the room, straitening his uniform. Had he really just entrusted Anna's life with a _snowman_? He moves quickly, wasting no time.

"Prince Hans, the winter is getting worse! This whole castle will be frozen!" Hans turns to face the Duke of Wesleton, not who he really wants to see at the moment. The Duke stares into Hans's glossy eyes and the Duke jumps back a moment, "Did the kiss work?"

"No."

The Duke gasps, as do a few others around him, "My God. You _killed_ the Princess!"

"Wait, I didn't kill her... I just wasn't the one..." he shakes his head as more nobles and advisers begin to crowd in on him, "I need to go find the man who can help her..."

"You probably only wanted the throne!"

"What? Of course not!"

"Lock him up!"

"Stop, I need to save Princess Anna!" Hans tries to yell out for any support but finds none in the crowd as his hands are grabbed and pinned. Large men start to roughly handle him and walk him down into the dungeon.

* * *

**Reviews and feedback are greatly appreciated, thanks!**


	7. Operation Save Anna - VII

**A little Helsa fun! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Disney.**

* * *

"Hehe, have fun with her..."

Hans falls on his scarred knees as he is thrown into the cell. Queen Elsa jumps up from the bed. Her head tilts curiously, as she runs over to help the man, "Hans?"

The stone of the cell has cut through his princely pants causing his knees to bleed, "Agh."

Elsa, stands and tries to freeze off her ice cuffs. Slowly her panicked demeanor at seeing Hans's blood causes the room to get colder and colder until the ice breaks the chains. With her hands free she falls down to Hans's aid. Using some of the blankets on her bed to stop the bleeding and her ice powers to stop the swelling.

"I only fell, it's okay," Hans tries to smile.

"No it's not, you're hurt," she looks up into his face, "why are you in here?"

"They think... well... I need to save your sister, Queen Elsa," Hans stares right into her face being extra careful about what he says.

"What's wrong?" Her eyes grow wide with anger and fear, "Did someone hurt her?"

"No... Well, yes... but none of that matters, we need to find this man who's probably already halfway back up the mountain now. He's the only one who can save her," Hans stares into the Queen's face searching to see if some part of his answer has even reached her.

"We _need_ to stop this winter... I've only made things worse," she grabs her platinum blond hair and starts shaking her head violently, "Why am I so bad at everything...? Now Anna's in danger!"

"Queen Elsa!" Hans stands, outstretching his gloved hand towards the icy female, she stares at it for a moment, "If we go now we can stop it all... we can both save Arendelle!"

The Queen shakily touches the fingers of the Prince's gloves and with that small spark of touch he grabs the rest of her hand without hesitation. He pulls her up off of the bench and smiles at her, confidently.

"How will we break out?"

"I don't know..." Hans mocks sarcasm, "If only there was a Queen in here who had ice powers or something?"

Elsa smirks for a brief moment, but immediately hides it as she focuses back on the matter at hand. Many questions were running through her mind. Why couldn't Hans be the man to save Anna? What had even _happened_ to Anna? How would she stop this winter...?

All of these questions seemed so curiously impossible to answer, but at the same time the Queen understood they would be answered in time. She focused her power on the bars of the cell and began to freeze the room. Causing ice to inch itself up onto every stone, into every crack within the walls. Snow began to flurry in the cell as the cold metal could do nothing more but to freeze and break in the susceptible state. There was an exit out of here.

"Alright let's go!" Elsa nodded towards a very shivering Hans.

"H-h-hey, the c-cold may not b-b-other _you_, b-but i-it's not w-w-what we have i-in the S-Southern I-Isles..."

Elsa lets a slight giggle escape her lips as she impulsively grabs Hans's gloved hand. Something about his gloves made touching him so much easier. The Prince dashes out with her.

"Hey wait!" He calls out through the heavy wind carrying the white snow.

Queen Elsa turns to catch him, she can only really see his bright auburn hair through the blowing wind amid the snow, everything was far too white. She tries her hardest to direct the snow in another direction.

"Sitron, my horse, we can take him up the mountain!" This time he grabs Elsa's gloved hand, feeling her small, skinny fingers beneath the fabric, "He's this way!"

* * *

**Feedback and reviews are gladly accepted, thank you for all the support! Will try to get the next chapter up A.S.A.P.! =)**


	8. A Man and His Horse - VIII

**Late night update! Got so excited... yay, awkwardness chapter! =)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or Frozen**

* * *

The horse stomps worriedly amid the angry storm hissing around him. Hans had usually spoiled him in the Southern Isles and kept him in the nicest weather he could. His gloved hands caress the horse's long nose as he tries to hush it pressing his own nose up against its, "It's alright Sitron, it's only me!"

Elsa stands back a moment, to observe the strange relationship between man and his horse. Hans opens the gate of the stable, pulling on Sitron's harness to get him further into the wind and ready for travel. He pulls out a heavy coat fit for the horse, knitted with the Southern Isles crest, then he ties the saddle.

The Queen seems to have shrunk in fear next large horse, as if terrified by the animal. Hans stifles his laugh, "Queen Elsa, he's a good horse. Here, pet him."

Hans pulls Sitron's harness a bit to allow Elsa access to the horse's mane and cheeks. Her hands move timidly as she tries to reason her body to touch the horse. She had never been on top of one before. Any traveling had always been done in carriages or on ships... never on a horse.

"Hey, he can sense fear Elsa," Hans whispers in a joking tone, "just pet him and tell him what a good horse he is!" The Prince nudges closer to the horse who almost seems to smile in affection with the man next to him, "who's a good horsey? _You are_, yes you are!"

Elsa giggles slightly staring at the typically dignified man before her, "You talk to your horse like he's some sort of puppy... not a large... fast, trampling machine."

Hans raises his eyebrow at the handsomely tanned horse, "well... he is like a puppy," he turns back into the stables giving Elsa the reins without time for protest. The girl and the horse exchange awkward glances. Hans returns with something long and orange in his hands. A carrot, "come on Elsa, give Sitron a treat!" He smiles handing off the carrot.

Elsa wrings the vegetable between her hands before slowly offering it to the awaiting horse, "Here, horsey horsey..." She offers in a lackluster attitude.

Sitron looks at the reward for only a moment, in a snotty way, before gladly chomping down on the carrot in the girl's hands. Elsa tenses up and tries to steady herself as the horse licks her gloves. The carrot is gone, and with it a sigh of relief. A smile escapes her parting lips just as Sitron's long horse tongue comes to slobber down Elsa's cheek. She gasps in shock as Hans swats Sitron away from the obviously troubled Queen.

"Sorry, he was just giving you a kiss..."

"Giving me a kiss?" She shakes her head as she snatches Hans's offering handkerchief, "why would he do that?" She stares in disgust at the slobber adorning her regal attire.

"Just being friendly..." Hans looks up at the sky and sees the sun starting to part through, "we should probably go, Elsa. Who knows where this guy is..."

Elsa shakes her head, recovering from the incident as Hans helps her feet through the stirrups and onto the saddle, "We should ask the trolls for help. They'll be able to find him, and they'll know how to help Anna!"

Hans nods, "As you wish your majesty," the Prince coolly steps in and up over onto the horse with skill. Elsa blushes at the sound of being called a majesty, "Come on, Sitron! Hiyah!"

The horse begins to trample off with a quick speed not expected by that of Elsa, she instinctively clutches to Hans's waist as she closes her eyes, hiding herself deep into his large shoulders. Wait, what was she doing? She was the girl who ran away all on her own, she didn't need to act so helpless... and yet oddly... this horse was the most terrifying thing she had done in a long time.

Snow continues to flurry into the eyes of all the passengers, "Don't think you could ease up, could you Queen Elsa?"

"I can't control it! I've told you," she tries to shout over the heavy winds whipping past their heads. Elsa tries her best to once again redirect the snow, parting it as if it were water for the horse trying to stomp through it. Hans does his best to navigate the forested mountain while attempting Elsa's shaky directions.

They climb higher, to the middle valley, the snow is less violent up here, "so, who are these trolls anyways?"

"They've helped me control my powers in the past..." Elsa looks off into the distance and then down at her gloves, "I wish they'd just remove them."

Hans tries to look over his shoulder but is occupied with steering his horse, "Queen Elsa, don't say things like that... your powers might do great things for someone, someday... you never know." Sitron stops moving and decides to sit abruptly, in the snow, as if he's done moving.

"Why'd he stop?"

"You tired, Sitron?" Hans stands and stares at his horse, pulling out a canteen of water from the stable he had grabbed. Sitron opens his large mouth widely as Hans pours the water into it, "He just needs a quick rest..."

Elsa nods, suddenly feeling awkward around the Prince in the middle of the woods by themselves. He was cute, Elsa couldn't deny that. His sideburns added a certain charisma to him that was unstoppable. And his personality was charming in almost every way. He was Mr. Perfect. _And_ he was also Anna's fiance. Elsa shakes her head a moment, clearing it of thoughts.

"I wish I had summer powers... like I could make fires or something, that'd come more in handy than snow," she tries to joke in the silence of the mountain.

Hans nods at her awkwardly, "Yea." Hans turns away and presses his hands up against one another. Sitron sneezes, Elsa stares over at the horse and merely shrugs... but Hans knows he's laughing at him. He rolls his eyes at the four legged creature and shakes away from him.

"You're really smart for your age, Hans, you always know what to say," Elsa stands trying to once again awkwardly make conversation.

Hans turns to face her in order to be polite, "Well I did attend private school until I was of age, I had to beg my father to let me do it, but I'm so glad I did. Learned about old kings, and kingdoms and sciences."

"My father had a private tutor for me in the castle," Elsa nods in understanding, "Anna would always rather play than learn. I mean she really didn't have to learn anyways, it's not like she was heir to the throne or anything."

Hans's eyebrow twitches a moment, "well, I wasn't really heir either... twelfth in line... but I'm still one of three that actually went on to learn something. Half of my brothers are just sitting in line while they've done nothing, it's -" he calms himself, being careful once more of what he reveals to the Queen, "I'm sorry." He quickly apologizes.

Elsa nods to herself, wanting to hit her own forehead. Why had she not remembered the poor guy had twelve brothers, hadn't Anna mentioned something about that?

"I think we should head out again now, and meet with these trolls," Hans suggests, nudging Sitron to his feet and then helping Elsa back into the saddle.

"Hans... when this is all over... I hope you marry, Anna," the confession comes randomly from the usually quiet Queen. She had been quite talkative around the Prince. She pushes a loose strand of her platinum hair behind her ear, "I mean, you're very sweet and clearly care for her, and you're clever," her eyebrows furrow as she breathes slowly, "_don't be the monster they fear you are_..."

Hans's eyes jolt around as the Queen leans further into him. He didn't have the heart to tell her the engagement was probably off. That this other guy would get to marry Anna. "You still remember that?" He asks trying to get his mind off of his major problems.

"Of course, it resonated with me... how did you know to say it?"

Hans stares at his gloved hands, his eyes flickering with memories that cause his body to tremble, "I-I just read the room..."

* * *

**Thank you all very much for the reviews and comments! I am continuing like promised!**

** NarwhalWarlord - I'm glad you're enjoying the story, there's a possiblity for more dark themes later... but at the moment, it's pretty much just awkward romance scenes. ;) And the troll rock... I'm just going with the idea that they have magic. And magic trumps all right?! We'll just go with that. Thanks for the review!**

**LillyStoppable - Yay Helsa/Hansla it's an awesome ship! And of course there will be more Kristanna when they finally find Kristoff! Your review inspired this last chapter a lot, can you sense a little of the mood? Thanks for reading!**

**JavertinMinature - Thanks for the review! By the way... Javert as in Les Mis, Javert? Because if so, I approve! I'm glad I captured Olaf in the right air for you! Hahah, there will be more of him later, I promise! And the Hans comment... why not? =) Hahah, just having fun! I will def keep up with the writing for as long as I can the reviews and support help, so thanks!**


	9. Falling For You? - IX

**Hahah, I love reading all of your comments they are so much fun! =) Here's the next chapter... by the way... I wrote this chapter while wearing my Norway hand lotion that I bought the last time I was at Disney in the Norway pavilion... _inspiration_! ;D**

** This story has been a lot of fun to write so far, so glad people are enjoying it.**

** Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or Frozen.**

* * *

"Anna!" The snowman lifts his head up to the level of the couch, "Your hair is looking really white... did you do something with it?"

Anna coughs feebly, "O-olaf, can you get me some soup?" She pulls her body up into a tight little ball, "It's so cold in here..."

"What about Hans? I thought we were going to kiss him?" Olaf's innocence stares over at Anna who merely frowns back in response.

"It didn't work, Olaf. He wasn't my true love, there's no act of love that can save me."

Olaf's eyes grow wide in the fire that shines behind him, "will there ever be a summer?"

Anna's bottom lip trembles as images of her sister shutting her out flash before her, "No, Olaf," her voice cracks, "I don't think there will ever be a summer."

…

"Hans! It should be through this clearing!" Elsa brushes the snow off of her body and out of her hair. It's near impossible to see through the blizzard the higher they start to reach; she can faintly see the tips of her ice castle she had made only days ago. If things don't work out, maybe she would just isolate herself again and go there for the rest of her life.

Sitron cries furiously, he's the first to react.

Hans pulls back the reins but it's too late. They've reached the edge of a hidden cliff amid a snow drift, this isn't a clearing. Before any more reactions can be calculated by the trio the ground from under them begins to rumble and break, sliding and inevitably giving into gravity's intentions to.

"Queen Elsa, hold on tight!" Hans lunges for the Queen's light body and holds her under his chest as they enter free-fall down into the sharply frozen river beneath them. There wasn't going to be a fluffy snow, there was only pure ice.

Elsa tenses her body in panic as she quickly shoots the ice beneath her in order to open it up. The ice begins to crack and break apart leaving only a freezing watery grave in its wake. Sitron cries as horses do, as Hans tries to throw a blanket from the saddle over the poor creature's head while keeping a strong grip on the Queen and awaiting what must be his certain death.

Screams emit from the two humans and are quickly silenced by bubbled breaths in water. Hans continues to scream under the water, some sort of burning pain in his forearm, what had he hit before the water? For some reason he can't come back up, he can only look up at the lighter water above him as he slowly floats closer to the bottom.

Elsa rapidly and somewhat frantically propels her way to the mouth of the water for breath. The water was cold, but nothing she couldn't handle. Sitron's hooves slide on the icy riverbank in attempt to quickly exit, without any hesitation, the Queen helps the animal out of the water... something about being so incredibly scared seemed to make her lesser fears no match for her. The horse stands in the snow and tries to shake off the icy water.

"Where's Hans?" Elsa looks around for a moment. Then her eyes grow wide. Her body dives down into the water, looking for the sinking Prince.

The Prince, however, couldn't move, his body was in shock. The water was too cold, his arm felt broken... for some reason all he wanted to do now was close his eyes and let it all end. Let his lungs fill with icy water. And yet there was something in front of him. Something, _angelic_. With a pale white face, and the purest blue eyes he'd ever seen... they seemed so defined in the water.

Elsa grabs the man's chest as she tries to wrap it around her body. She didn't know how much time she had. The ice could refreeze at any moment. The Queen swims with the dead weight of the Prince on her shoulders... why couldn't he move? Little bubbles begin escaping his mouth as she keeps hers shut completely.

She needed to hurry. She sees the light of the water. It's so close. Her body is small. And his is large. But somehow, they break through.

She gasps, "Hans!" Her voice takes on a desperate tone, "Hans wake up, come on!" She watches his chest heave with watery breaths as she throws him onto a snowy bank. Both of them remain drenched in water... icicles start to form at the tips of his hair.

Her mind races with ideas. She nudges his shoulders. She slaps him. She pounds on his chest, as small drips of water pour out of his lips. Elsa's eyes light up, "Please Hans... _please live_!" She begins pushing on his chest more frantically trying to get the water out of it.

Out of nowhere, he seems to cough.

"Look out your majesty, there's a cliff up ahead..." He stares up at her with those big green eyes and for a moment there's nothing in the world separating them. Elsa's breath escapes her in relief as she tries to remove herself from the boy's personal space.

He continues hacking his own lungs as an attempt to sit up. The horse walks over and starts nibbling on its master's ears, clearly afraid he could've lost someone as well. Hans pets the horse's long nose as he tries to look to move his over his other shoulder, but finds it impossible – no instead he can only cry out in pain.

"Hans? What's wrong?" Elsa turns to him, looking for a brief moment at his pained face and then seeing the strange bump in his arm. She wrings out her hair one last time and then places her tiny hands on the large muscle with a strange lump protruding from it.

It was a misplaced bone – she nearly shrieks but calms herself.

"Is it bad?" Hans asks, almost wincing in anticipation.

"Oh..." Elsa was never good at lying, "it's just broken..." She doesn't want to touch it again, but she does, she tries to freeze the bone and stop the bruising and swelling, "Stay still a moment... when we get back to the castle, we'll have a medic treat you."

Hans shakes his head looking up at the cliff they had fallen from, "We'll never find the trolls now."

Elsa stares off into the distance, "Well... we'll walk around the cliff and climb back up it. Don't be so pessimistic."

"Anna could die at any moment!"

Elsa shakes her head in disbelief, "You never told me why we have to save her... Hans, what happened?"

Hans pulls away from Elsa's hands and looks down into his own. The gloves are soaked causing his hands to be outlined to a T, every finger, every crack. His voice is soft, "Her heart was frozen... only an act of true love could save her."

The Queen shifts her position, to try and hear the Prince a little better, "the tower... I must have accidentally hit her," Elsa's eyes gloss over a moment, "why didn't true love's kiss work?"

Hans shakes his head almost angrily, "Because _I _wasn't her true love."

Elsa tilts her head to look at the Prince, to look into his eyes, "and this guy we're trying to find... _he is_?"

Hans nods, he tries to stand but wobbles a moment and falls back into the snow in a moment of weakness. He curses to himself.

"Hans, I'm sure they're taking care of Anna... we'll work this out. We'll stop the winter."

The Prince's eyes meet the Queen's, but for some reason they both start to notice different things in the other. That the Queen's vibrant blue eyes need someone to tell her not to hurt and that she's fine the way she is. And that the Prince's strong green eyes needed a person to tell him when to stop, when to not push himself too hard.

"We'll need something to eat soon..." Hans states, breaking the moment and turning from the Queen's intoxicating eyes.

The Queen nods, "Well there must be berries in the forest, or at least some kind of foliage."

Sitron snorts loudly, as if wanting to talk over the two humans.

"Well, I'll go out and look for something, you stay here, Queen Elsa."

Sitron snorts louder, trying to evoke some form of attention.

"Absolutely not, I'm a strong girl. I can go out on my own, and you're really injured... you need to stay here, and try to keep warm!"

Sitron neighs over the two humans so that his voice echos in the valley.

"What do you want, Sitron?!" Hans asks, fed up with his horse's bossy attitude.

The horse merely turns to the side in a dainty manner and points his snout to a small building in the distance. A building with smoke coming from the chimney of it.

"A trading post!" Elsa looks down at Hans, "Here, we'll rest in there for a little bit. Can you walk?"

Hans tries to move to his feet, but still finds his body recovering. The Queen simply throws his arm over her shoulder in support of him. Sitron tries to nuzzle his master's cheek a moment as both attempt to move him into the warmth of the building.

The snow continues whipping past them, but it's not as strong as it was on the other face if the mountain. It seems as if their pace is impossibly slow, but due to Hans not being able to contribute much, it's what it takes. Hans lets out an icy breath that freezes in the winds, Elsa tries nudging him closer into her body in order to share more of the little heat she produces.

"Almost there, Hans."

They reach the stable first and Elsa takes the liberty of leaning Hans up on a post so he can nurse his arm. She hesitates a moment in attempt to tie up Sitron, but decides he's a good enough horse to stay in the stable himself.

"Good boy," is all Hans can mumble in his weary state.

"Wandering Oaken Trading Post and Sauna, sounds as good as any. Let's go Hans," Elsa tries to keep a positive attitude in front of the slowly deflating Prince.

The door opens with a kling and the duo is greeted with a very friendly, "Yoo-hoo!"

* * *

**Yoo-hoo! ;) Haha, loved Oaken in the film!**

**By the way, I do really read your comments guys, so of course I appreciate them! They inspire my writing, and keep me going!**

**KatieKat - Yay! More Helsa fans! I've read a lot of fanfics that involve Helsa after the original ending, so I think it's fun playing with the idea of, "what if, before" y'know? Glad you're enjoying it. I'm writing as fast as I can... really, just procrastinating from my homework... buuuuut, writing is a lot of fun too! =D**

**LillyStoppable - Hahaha! YAY! You caught it! Hahah, I read your review and I was like, "I can definitely work with this..." still figuring out where the big reveal will be but it should be fun! I think Frozenhater secretly LOVES Frozen... but is just lying to us all. ;D**

**Thanks for the reviews guys! They make my day! =D**


	10. Oaken Trading Post And Sauna! - X

**Still loving all the reviews... and, well, the love guys! Here's today's chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Frozen and Disney are not mine!**

* * *

Elsa's eyes swerve over to the large man sitting at the counter, his beard puffs out from his face as he offers them both a large grin. The Queen looks down at her snow covered body and back up towards the large unassuming man, "Yes, um... hello. I am Elsa, Queen of Arendelle could you -"

Hans breaks the interaction with a cough, this one much more nasally as if he were getting sick. He pulls his gloved hand up to his face to stop the spray. Sick was something Elsa couldn't really afford at this point.

"We need to use your sauna to warm up... and perhaps you could make us something warm to eat, I will pay whatever the price," she wasn't sure how, but she'd figure it out when the time came to it.

"Are you interested in the Big Summer Blowout Sale?" The large man blinks in a simplistic manner, before adding, "unfortunately our sauna rocks are not steaming today."

Elsa massages her temples while repositioning Hans onto her aching shoulders, "well, I'm sure it's still the warmest room here, please just let us sit in there."

"Yes, it is still a little warmer than this room, you may sit, ja," the large man smiles, "and what about the Big Summer Blowout?"

"We're really not interested... thank you," she helps Hans hobble across the store. Hiding her face briefly from the stares of the large family sitting at their table. The little children giddily hop up on their chairs and look at the lady they are to believe is the Queen.

Elsa opens the door and cringes at the steam, there's not much and it's not much warmer then the room they were just in, still she was never one for saunas. She helps Hans sit carefully on the wooden benches, leaning his head back gently, "I'm going to get the food for us..." she looks at the young man wince in pain, "just relax, _okay_?"

She shakes her head of melting snow as she closes the door to the wooden room, she'd hate to think what it feels like heated. The image of the Prince flashes before her eyes, his sad and cringing face still staring right up at her... and for some reason that image was inflicting a deep pain inside of Elsa, like her and him had more in common than either let on. Perhaps he was feeling more than just physical hurt... maybe Anna's rejection had bothered him more than he showed. _Anna probably thought nothing of it_, the Queen shakes her head. Anna is sweet, but is too naive to know anything of how to treat people.

"Excuse me, can we please have the warm food?" Elsa asks to the room before her, trying her best to smile in a friendly manner. She looks around the shop, empty of most wares except summer goods. Elsa moves to the counter and leans over to find the man, missing from his post. How could she lose sight of a man that large?

The shopkeeper taps her shoulder, "Yoo-hoo!"

The Queen jumps and freezes the table before her. Her body shakes, as she slowly turns and eases her breath's pace, "I-I'm sorry..." Her hands fumble around each other as she tries to calm her shaking.

"Oh, you are very very cold my dear... the soup is ready!" The bearded man smiles joyously as he shrugs off the Queen's outburst and escorts her to the family table. Once again the family stares wide eyed at her – it's not everyday royalty walks into your shop... unless you count yesterday with Anna.

"Are you really the Queen?" The littlest girl tugs on her skirt causing Elsa to pull away harder than she meant. The little girl makes no note of it and continues to stare up in admiration.

Elsa straightens her posture, "Yes, I am the Queen. Can I please have the soup?"

"How did you do that with the ice?" A little boy sits atop his knees on his chair in order to get a better look at the platinum blond.

"I need the soup, please..."

The shopkeeper hands her two helpings, any family would be glad to be visited by the Queen and help her in time of need. She seemed so tense. The family wondered how they might be of help.

Elsa slides the door to the sauna open with her free arm, balancing the steaming soup bowls in her other arm and elbow. Her face is blasted with a misty steam, "Hans? Are you in here?" She squints into the room suddenly working like a sauna typically would.

Hans's eyes shoot up, much more lively than before. He grabs his gloves on the bench next to him, wrapping his hands up once more. His shirt was off his body and hanging, leaving only his bare and somewhat glistening chest in Elsa's sight.

"I thought this wasn't working? The coals wouldn't light?"

Hans seems to stutter over the words, "it just turned on all of a sudden... I don't know how."

Elsa nods, in the past few days stranger things have happened. She hands the recovering Prince a bowl and takes her own into her hands. The steam in the room helped clear her head, and almost calm her... making her feel safer.

Elsa stares into her bowl, "how does the soup tast-", and slowly her eyes meet the spectacle known as Prince Hans.

The spoon protrudes from the Prince's mouth creating a bulge in his left cheek, the bowl doesn't even tilt with liquid anymore. He had devoured it within seconds. He had been caught. Slowly he places the spoon down in a dignified manner, being under the scrutiny of the Queen's judging eyes. He sets the bowl to the side and folds his hands in his lap, patting his lips with a handkerchief in a very regal, princely manner to undo his earlier behavior.

"It's delightful my Queen."

Elsa feels it inside of her. It starts off small, but starts growing. Her lips break into a smile and a giggle escapes, slowly forming itself into a laugh. She tries to cover her face, as to not let the Prince see her ugly smile, but it's useless, she can't stop. The whole thing seemed so ridiculous.

Hans starts to feel it too, and soon he is joining the Queen in roaring support.

The Queen shakes her head, trying to break the spell of laughter, "I'm so sorry... I," a giggle breaks through again, "I don't know why I find it so funny."

Hans shakes his head, "It's fine!" He chuckles, and their eyes catch each other again. The steam casts shadows across their features, shining in the dim lantern's light, "I like your laugh."

The blush forms on Elsa's cheeks faster than the blood rushes to it. She stands, the room was far too warm for her, "You're feeling better... I'll have to see if we can get a cast for your arm."

"It's so nice in here, I could stay in the heat forever. The steam is clearing all the cold from my body," he jokes, "I can breathe again!"

"Looks like you have company now," Elsa nods up to the large family with their noses pressed tightly together onto the window looking into the sauna.

"Yoo-hoo!" The family waves, "the sauna is working again!"

One by one the family starts making its way through, throwing off their clothes and replacing them with towels. Elsa's eyes widen as Hans averts his. Both of them share a mental cue from the other's body language, it was time to go... time to get back to the matter at hand.

Elsa grabs Hans's shirt as Hans takes the empty bowls – well, one was still half filled. He places them on a table and humorously begins the attempt of trying to fit back into his shirt without angering his arm. The Queen stops him, checking her gloves a moment, concealing herself. She helps unbutton the gold latches and carefully pulls Hans's sweaty skin through the long, heavy, wool sleeves. They share the responsibility of buttons as she begins the lower ones and he the top ones. Soon, he's ready.

The Queen finds the large sling she's looking for and helps loop it through Hans's shoulder, the Prince almost starts to whine like a little boy, "I can't ride if my arm is tied up..."

Elsa tsks at him, "Come on, you won't be able to ride at all if you break this arm any further. A skilled equestrian guy like you... I would only expect a man of your stature to possess the best of skills." Elsa feels strange, like she is bandaging Anna after their snowball fight took a turn for the worse. It's like she wasn't afraid to touch this man. Like she could trust him. Like he understood her.

Hans stops protesting and allows Elsa to finish tying the sling. They were finally ready to head back out.

Only the large shopkeeper himself remains outside of the filled sauna. He sits at the desk and smiles, ready to type out the prices, "So that _vill_ be two sauna visits, two soups, and one sling..." he puts his hand on his chin and scratches, "but since you are the Queen I suppose it should be free. Only he _vill_ pay then, ja?"

Elsa frowns, she didn't really have any money. Her eyes flash over to Hans awaiting any idea from the cunning Prince, but he only shrugs, noticing the dripping ice on the desk before them. He wonders what sort of trouble Elsa had gotten into earlier.

"You wouldn't charge _me_, right?"

"Ja!" The shopkeeper nods persistently.

"Because _I'm the Queen_, right?"

"Ja!" The shopkeeper nods yet again.

"Then why would you charge _the King_?"

Now it's Hans's turn to blush, but for reasons unknown by Elsa. He almost seems to choke on his own breath at the thought of being called King, but shakes it out as silly notion.

"_Vhat_? We have a king?" He takes a minute to ponder this, and then shrugs, "Okay then, it is free!"

Elsa sighs in relief, her lying was getting better and better the more time she spent with this guy, "Thank you so much, we will not forget your hospitality, nor will we forget to send thanks when we return home."

"Thank you, come again, ja?"

"Ja!" Elsa repeats quickly nudging Hans to leave. They both exit out into the blistering cold once more, but this time with their strength returned and their clothes dried.

"Hey, Queen Elsa!" Hans points to a map next to the building, "Do you see the trolls anywhere near here."

Elsa squints in attempt to visualize the map in relation to her memory, "the cave..." she whispers.

"Cave? What cave?" Hans asks trying to re-examine the map. Navigation was a fairly strong pursuit of his, but there was certainly no cave on this map.

"It's not far from here, just not listed, I remember... we took Anna to the trolls once," she shuts her eyes tightly for a moment, "we're not far now. It's just through the cave."

Hans smiles while looking up at the white sky producing fluffy white puffs crashing down from above, "We'll _save_ Anna..."

Relief from the Prince's voice washes over the Queen and slowly the snow starts to fall slower and slower, no longer a blizzard as before. Hans stares at her, noting the calmness in her breathing. For some reason she needs to constrain every muscle in her body from throwing themselves at Hans, she wanted to hug him... but knew better than to do something so irrational.

If her sister had to follow her boy advice, so would she.

"Well," Hans starts, trying to roll his wrist and keep his broken arm from movement, "Let's get Sitron, and start moving."

* * *

**Reviews and comments are gladly accepted and encouraged by the author who THRIVES on them! =D**

**LillyStoppable - _Hearts and Hugs_, how sweet! Hopefully they're warm hugs so Olaf approves. ;D Looove getting your messages. All the reviews really keep me going and I seriously do a little happy dance when I get one in my email! Hahah.**

**LittleMissPanda84 - SGFDGFA, glad you asdsafdg love it! ;) I loooove reviews like this, it makes me so happy to know people are getting all warm and fuzzy and feeling the feels when they read my story! I came home straight from school today and just hopped on and started typing. I never thought this story would get so big... but now I can't stop~! **

**Thanks to everyone who's reading, faving, following, and commenting! Love you ALL! **


	11. Taking Off the Gloves - XI

**Hey guys! Sorry if this isn't the best chapter... I was at my grandpa's funeral today and yesterday and felt bad this evening about not giving you all a new chapter. I hope it's good enough, the next one should be a lot better - maybe I'll even edit this one if you don't like it as much... but just a little something to tide you over! :) Enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Disney**

* * *

The prince whistles with his good hand, surprising Elsa who was always impressed by people who were able to do such things – Anna had tried to teach her when she was younger, but she could never quite get it. A tanned horse sluggishly trots out, hating to leave the warmth of the stable.

"Come on, boy!" Hans smiles taking the reins, he can still recall Sitron when he was smaller than him - now it's Hans who needs to hop up to reach the horse's height.

The Prince helps the Queen onto the animal, her comfort with the creature was slowly growing. Her gloves brush through the thick hair that decorates the horse's body. She hesitates a moment, but slowly removes one of her gloves allowing her fingers to tickle the mane and melt within the softness of the horse's personality.

"Hold on," is all the warning Hans gives before he bares down on the reins and barrels off with Queen in tow. Elsa replaces her glove quickly, pulling down on each individual finger, then her hands quickly find their place around the Prince's well defined waist, but instead of a terrified scowl her face lights with a grin.

The scenery flashes past them and mixes with the falling snow, creating a flash motion of all the trees surrounding them. The evergreen's shake with heaviness as the snow pounding into them curses down on their branches, threatening to break them. The Ice Queen had done quite a number.

"So..." The Prince makes a strange face with a goofy smile as he stares ahead at the fields of white fluff, "King, huh?"

Elsa shakes her head and stops herself from hitting her forehead. She had felt so stupid when she said that, referring back to her fib at the Trading Post, "I know, it was such a bad lie... sorry to make you feel awkward," her voice trails off as the wind howls over.

Hans tries to stop the warmth he starts to feel in his cheeks and through his throat, "Ooh, no, I just thought it was funny. You know,_ me_, your king?" He takes a breath to add more, but doesn't say anything else.

Elsa looks up to the back of his thick auburn hair, trying to sense his tone. She forces a laugh to match this humor Hans seems to have mentioned, "Yea, I mean how ridiculous... you my king? It's funny..."

Hans's smile turns into a frown, forced with mixed emotions. So the Queen _had _meant it as a joke, "heh, yea... _ridiculous_..."

Elsa's hands almost recoil from his tense middle, had she said the wrong thing? Usually it was Anna who did that, who couldn't sense the room just right... and Anna had a laugh that could make all forgiven. Elsa didn't have any of that. The two sit in silence until her eyes squint through the flurry and spot what she's looking for. The wilting elm!

"Hans! The cave is just past that tree!"

His eyes jolt up to the awkwardly jutting rocks. None of it seemed natural, but he didn't doubt her, he pulled Sitron's reins with a tight grip as the horse switches movements. The cave seemed dark, and he hadn't packed a lantern, expecting to travel in day.

The horse's muffled hooves were suddenly musical as his feet hit the rocky surface of the cave.

"It should just be through here a while, then we'll see a light and know when to come out into the clearing," she looks over the Prince's shoulder and further into the dank cavern. It wasn't the friendliest place in Arendelle.

Sitron's neck starts to twitch quickly, moving side to side in the icy cave as he must navigate the slippery stone without any light. He was never a horse for the dark. The walls of the cave seem to inch up and rub against the party's shoulders, and at other moments it feels as if they could walk on either side of the cave for a good mile before meeting any rock.

Water drips creating an eery tone adding to the very existence of the cave. The only thing keeping the trio afloat are the heartbeats of its members. Elsa leans her ear against Hans's back, trying to inch out her negative thoughts of the cave.

Only a light growl interrupts the otherwise tranquil music of nature. Hans turns suddenly, to place the noise with its owner, he scans the dark cave; his eyes playing tricks on him at every jagged turn. The Prince's experience matches little with that involving caves, but he attempts to spot any sort of nasty enemy in his surroundings.

He places his conscious at ease, finding nothing mysterious in the fuzzy blackness of what he can see. Hans replaces his hands on the horse's reins, only to feel a heavy, somewhat sticky, warm breath on his neck. Was Elsa really that close to him?

"H-hans..." the Queen's voice is shaky and almost a whisper, "is that your hairy leg I feel?"

The beastly bear roars as Hans smacks the reins, escaping the inevitable claw aimed for his head. The creature's paws scratch the rock loudly as Sitron's hooves veer off in jagged, scared direction.

Hans tries to control his jolted horse as Elsa lets out a yelp aiming her ice behind her without knowing where the creature stands. The cave is pitch black, "I can't see, Han-"

Sitron misses the slight bump in front of him, his legs slip and the humans fall off with a bounce as the scared animal continues its dash through the cave.

"Sitron!" Hans yells trying to regain himself from the fall. He rubs his head as his eyes try to pinpoint his horse only to be required by the struggling Queen. His gloved hands feel around the ground only listening for her faint pained breaths. Suddenly their hands meet, and neither recoil from the other. In this darkness they both gladly accept the hand of a human – of a friend.

"Hans, we have bigger problems!" The bear begins picking up speed almost as if he can smell the human intruders. Elsa aims her freezing magic in every direction, but nothing helps, sounds bounce off the walls of the cave and she is blind in the hall of darkness.

Both their ears seem to perk up as their skin starts to crawl with the bear's loud howl now mere feet away from them.

Elsa tries to remain sharp and quiet, "I don't know where he is Hans!"

The bear's sniffling starts to echo through the cave. Millions of dreadful thoughts run through both their heads, and yet Elsa keeps her hand intertwined with the Prince's.

The bear shuffles closer, causing both their bodies to tense. Forcing Hans to feel the wrath of Elsa's cold, shaky, fingers.

"Don't. Move," Hans only whispers.

Elsa can't even count the minutes that pass as she holds the Prince's hands in hers. Both were scared, but it seemed lesser with his hand in hers. The bear's anger seems to have subdued from all they can hear as the creature's paws tap the stones in front of Elsa.

Their hands break apart as Elsa slowly shuffles her body backwards, away from the paw.

Hans tries to keep his eyes open, he tries to reshape the jutting stones of the cave, the bear, Elsa. He needs to see them. But in order to see them he needs some form of illumination, and _he just can't_.

Slowly the Prince starts to tug on his glove, feeling the empty fabric without his strong fingers hidden beneath it. _Conceal don't feel_. The act of taking his gloves off seems to have shaken him more than the actual bear itself.

Elsa slowly inches closer to the edge wall of the cave, unknowingly. The bear follows, hearing her icy breaths in the dank cavern. Her heart stops as her back brushes up against the crudely cut stones. She was stuck.

The Queen positions her hands, ready to freeze and attack the creature at any given moment. As soon as it touches her, she'll know where the creature stands and she will not hesitate to recoil.

But before even shooting any ice she lets out a scream as her face begins to swell with fiery pain – the bear had clawed her. Her eyes fill with panic as she awaits the bear's second attack. And suddenly everything is illuminated. The bear's fur. The curve of the cave. It was as if someone had lit a fire.

The bear howls, its attention redirected as it turns. Hans slowly pushes to a stand, holding his left arm towards the bear, the red hot fire shining intimidatingly near its puffy cheeks as it shoots out of the Prince's palm. The bear stares at it, breathing heavily.

Hans waves his arm, trying to push the bear out of their way. The bear slowly starts to step back. Its eyes aflame with the image of burning before it. Hans slowly moves closer to the creature, carefully, but nonetheless in a powerful manner. He sees the creature. He sees the cracks in the walls. The bumps in the stone. The light of his fire has lit the cave.

Everything is silent, even the faint water droplets have ceased, only the crackling from the Prince's hot hands can be heard. Elsa's eyes grow wide. With fear, with distrust, with confusion... she never knew. She thought _she_ was the only one...

Hans manages to make one more flash of his arm to scare off the beast and send it scurrying back into the darker turns of the cave. His eyes slowly turn towards Elsa still illuminating the tight rock around them.

"Queen Elsa, your face!" His body moves quickly, holding the flame towards Elsa's cheeks. He examines the deep gash near her cheek, but she pulls away.

"You... why..." Elsa shakes her head in disbelief, checking her own hands as if reassuring herself of who she is, "why didn't you tell me?"

Hans's fingers tangle around one another in anticipation for the conversation sure to ensue, "I never wanted anyone to know."

Elsa laughs in mock sarcasm, "and of all the people you couldn't tell... you really didn't think you could tell _me_?"

"I'm sorry," it's all he can say. His face turns from hers as does the heat protruding from his body. He stares into the darkness, almost wishing he could take back his light and extinguish it forever.

"I never thought anyone else was born with powers," Elsa practically mumbles this more to herself than to Hans pulling her icy hand up to her cheek.

"Born?" The Prince turns his head back around.

Elsa looks up, staring at the Prince's illuminated face, the face she thought she knew – she thought she could trust. Ice stands formed behind him, as if reminding her of her own predicament, "yes," she lowers her gaze, "born with_ this_... this power to control elements."

Hans shakes his head, "I was never born with this," his lips tremble on the following words as his anger starts to mount, "I was _cursed, _Elsa!"

The Queen's eyes betray her and look back up into the Prince's examining the pity in the shades of green surrounding the pupil. She scoots over from the wall and pats down beside her, slightly reminiscing from her earlier days with Anna. How the two girls would sit side by side and contemplate life.

"Sounds like you have some explaining to do," is all she can say in a friendly manner to the sulking Prince.

He shakes his head, massaging his empty gloves in his laps, "I'm sorry I didn't tell you. But I can't just tell you," he turns to her pale face, "it's personal."

Elsa's muscles ignore her brain as her frozen hand moves for his aflame one, she clasps his into hers as the ice and fire meeting sizzle with conflict, extinguishing the light around them, "I don't think it's as personal as you're making it out to be."

Hans lets out a breath, he was going to need it, "The Southern Isles and the Westerguard Dynasty have two things in common. A love for war." He forms the words quicker then time gives him to check the memories, he knew them all by heart, "When I was seven we had been at war with the Østlige Islands for a few years now. This gypsy woman, she had come to our castle to seek refuge, but my father refused her assuming she was from our warring neighbors. She left and stayed out in the cold and the rain. A day later she returned, denouncing my father for his hatred. She told him he would need to sacrifice one of his sons."

Elsa looks at the Prince's far off gaze. She could hardly believe the story she was hearing her family, for all she knew stayed neutral in world affairs. What it must have been like to grow up, knowing people could raid your home at any second.

"Naturally, my father chose me. The son who would never be a King, who would never amount to anything... who was overall, and generally a disappointment in every aspect..." Hans sighs as he massages his forehead, "the gypsy took me right before my brothers in the middle of the palace, ignoring my pleas. They all turned away as she took my hands and forced this curse of fire into them. She said I would cause my own home's destruction, and that was my father's punishment."

Elsa listened to his voice, not the charming and confident one he usually boasted in... but the sad one, the one that made him the most human person she had ever met.

"From that day forth... it was all about concealing the baby Prince. Keeping him away from the city, stopping him from destroying the town. That's what my life was like when people knew what powers I had, and that's not what I wanted here."

His eyes play the memories of the past having finally caught up to his words, showing him the day his mother refusing to hold him any longer due to his curse. When his brothers started pretending he didn't exist. Looking down at parties from the banister of the balcony because he'd be too much of a hazard to interact with others instead of enjoying them like his siblings. These memories eat at the Prince's heart, almost taking the heat out of him, almost freezing him whole.

Elsa watches Hans's flame become dimmer and dimmer. She doesn't look at him any longer, "I apologize, I didn't know it was that big of a family affair," and yet she shakes her head still not understanding all of Hans's actions, "but you were just going to keep this a secret from Anna?"

Hans stays still, "that's what I was hoping," he pauses, "but you were in danger, and I couldn't see you so I stepped in and helped."

The Queen's mood changes, he had revealed his secret to protect her. No one, besides Anna, had gone as far as he had to keep her safe. She forces her lips to smile, "Hey, let's continue through this cave. I'm sure your horse has already exited through it, can't be much longer."

Hans's foul attitude at having struck bad memories sticks with him, "if I ever have to head through a cave again, it'll be too soon."

* * *

**Thanks for reading, any reviews and comments are really appreciated! **

**Luvmoony89 - I have a good feeling that your suspicions... were true. Hahaha, hopefully his came out in the right manner! So happy you love the story!**

**LillyStoppable - Love your reviews! I hope I am sufficing your Helsa needs! All the characters in Frozen get a little shout out, duh! ;D I hope you review again because I love getting your feedback!**

**Troopper17 - Hopefully this chapter was awkward enough for you. Hahaha, thanks for the review! :)**

**ThePhantomWolf - Fooling anyone of what? ;) Well, cat's out of the bag now! Thanks for reading, and hope you continue to like the story!**

**MythsandMaddness - What could he POSSIBLY not be telling her? ;D Hahah, it's pretty fun. After this chapter there are still a lot of secrets both of them have from each other. And wait till Anna finds out... well, actually, even I don't know what'll happen when Anna finds out, hahah! :D**

**Blossomfern - I'm writing as fast as I can! :D Of course though, not sure if you know this, but if you go on my page I actually have a huge Hunger Games fanfic. Because. I. Love. Hunger. Games. I didn't even realize I put that in there until you commented, but it seriously is a total Peeta moment! ;D You have to get your sister into the fandom! Once you get in, you'll never get out! ;) Who could possibly hate Frozen?**

**LittleMissPanda84 - Well, I'm responding again, hahah! :) Hopefully the reveal was good enough for you! I tried to make it surprising, but Hans is pretty bad at hiding it. ;)**

**JavertInMinature - Hahah, gotta love Oaken! Yoo-hoo! Ummmmmmmmmmm, well, after this chapter... I guess you can see I _was _trying to suggest such a thing, hahah! :D So you got it right on the money! I know! One minute they're close and the next they're pulling away. ;)  
**


	12. The Valley of the Living Rock - XII

**Quick shoutout to Chantelle! Thanks for reading girl! :)**

***BIG dialogue chapter... enjoy!* Oh, and I need opinions, do you guys like the new picture for this story?**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Disney or Frozen**

* * *

A cold wind bellows through the cave, almost howling in a foreboding manner. Elsa touches her cheek, still fresh with tenderness. Her powers can only do so much to soothe the pain, hopefully they'd be back to the castle soon enough.

She glances briefly to her right where a man illuminates the darkness of this cave with his hands. Everything made sense now. His gloves. The sauna. And yet he had _lied_ to her about something they both irrefutably shared in common.

The prince walks swiftly, searching for his horse as he looks for the creature around every corner - ready to leave the cave behind. Elsa almost needs to double her stride to match his pace. His mind races with emotion as he tries to ignore the words that echo through his head. His brothers had warned him of all this. Of bears, of beasts, of danger... _brothers know best_, they said... Maybe they just never wanted him to leave the castle... but to some extent they had been right. The world was filled with cruel creatures and people and Hans just wanted _someone _to break the whole pattern.

"Hans, look! The light!" Elsa picks up her speed, almost skipping towards the godsend that sits as the exit of this cave. Her dress bellows behind her as she skates on the icy cave rocks for the end.

Hans follows, "Sitron," he whistles, "where are you boy?" They enter a clearing, with slight mossy hills. Rocks sit together, amidst a tiny layer of snow. For all Hans could see, there were no trolls. And he couldn't see his horse either.

Elsa's head whips around, looking for the same as Hans. She even brings herself to call the horse's name in tune with Hans. With everything she had read and remembered... there should have been trolls here, where were they?

The Prince almost can't seem to help the little well of water that forms at the bottom of his eye lid, he calls out again, his voice strained. _No_. He couldn't possibly have lost his horse?

Elsa turns to the disheartened Prince. If this was it, and there weren't any trolls, they couldn't save Anna, "Hans, I swear this is the Valley of the Living Rock..._ I know it is_..."

He had lost everything. Anna. Sitron. His secret. His brother's were right, he should have stayed locked up in the castle all day, he should have never came to Arendelle. He turns to give up, to throw in the towel and chalk it all up to his lack of living. But then his skin jumps at the odd touch scraping his lower calf.

"Excuse me, is this yours?" The small ball of rock stares back up into the confused human eyes. Slowly the green eyes match the stone hand to the reins, then to the horse attached to them.

"Sitron!" Hans's smile beams almost ear to ear as he goes to greet the horse. He scratches behind the creature's ears as the horse happily nudges his long nose into his friend's chest. Hans pulls the horse's face out to meet his, "I thought I had lost you, buddy."

"You're a troll," Elsa smiles, pointing out the obvious as she observes the rock creature alongside the horsey reunion.

The creature holds out his hand, his blue gems clinking on one another as his body sways, "Name's Cliff, nice to meet you, Queen Elsa."

Elsa smiles a moment in brief confusion taking the rock's hand, "You know who I am?"

"Of course," the troll nods to behind the two humans, "we all do." The pair turns and is absorbed in the scene of hundreds of mossy rocks standing side by side as they in turn observe their Queen. All of the strange beings wear gems around their necks. Some carry staffs, others are free-handed and merely stare in awe at the foreign creatures.

A troll with fern jutting from his scalp and beard hobbles out from the crowd, his yellow beads shining as he speaks, "What do we owe the visit, Queen Elsa?"

Elsa moves closer, squinting as if connecting memories, "You helped me with my powers."

She recalls her younger self standing before the trolls, of course back then they were all closer in height - now it's as if she towers above them all. She had made the mistake she repeated a few days ago, she had struck Anna. Her eyes flash before her blue gloves, why was she so bad at controlling herself?

"Helped you with your powers?" Hans asks stepping up beside her. The Prince pulls down his coat, almost bolstering himself in the chill of the coming wind. His interest was piqued. How special were these creatures Elsa relied on?.

"Yes, there is fear still inside of you... Elsa," the troll sage pulls out a magic in the air and waves images before the surrounding crowd, "this winter you have caused, is grave for Arendelle if it goes unchecked. You need to open yourself to love and forgive those you may have felt betrayed by. Come here child, let me see your face."

Elsa holds her face, offering it for the troll who simply blasts the skin with magic of green. She watches the shadow continue to dance in the troll's magic mist shooting ice from her palms. The girl, with braided hair topped with crown, holds her head as she shakes it in pain. Suddenly she is taken into a man's arms and relaxed. None of this helped her, it never did, because she was always unsure of how to interpret it. The Queen shakes her head, "we're not here for me, we're here for -"

"What about me? Is there any way to get rid of this curse?" Hans interjects in a nervous manner, throwing his glove to the ground as Elsa searches his pleading face. He was so desperate to be normal and fit in, like she had been at a younger age.

The troll shakes his head as he feels the Prince's hands and bloodline, the branches atop his head rustle, "A curse is near impossible to cure, however your power is much more tamed than Elsa's. That being said, fire is a dangerous element connected to destruction and pain. Your father chose you for this curse, as the woman expected, your greatest trouble will be loneliness which you have suffered through most of your life."

Elsa looks up at Hans his eyes flickering in the snowfall at having been told a curse is near impossible to cure... she feels as if she shouldn't listen to his reading. She shouldn't inquire about his strange past. But every little detail the Prince lets on about himself leaves the Queen hungering for more.

"I'll always be a _disappointment_..." Hans whispers the words to himself as he stares into the palm of his hand.

"Let me heal your arm," the troll king takes the misplaced bone from the distracted Prince as he tries to mystify it back into its proper place. Hans struggles to keep a friendly face as angry thoughts fill his mind.

Elsa feels guilty for ever pushing him in the first place to explain himself. His horse tries to cheer his master up by tickling the back of his neck, but Hans remains still as a statue. The silence brushes over the hills until a loud thumping is heard from around the east bend.

"Your arm will take a while longer to heal, but just be careful," the yellow beaded troll speaks with calmness as he pushes the bone back into a lower position in the arm. Hans squints with slight pain and disgust. The lump is gone, but a sore feeling is still drumming into the bruised muscle.

A man emerges, loudly – gathering everyone's attention, covered in head to toe with snow. He grunts as he pulls the heavy sack of lumber down into the valley - his mind was still filled with thoughts of an amazing girl he had met not too long ago. Someone who was probably too good for him anyway... Elsa squints to identify the large creature lulling itself behind the man, it almost looked like a reindeer. The rock trolls turn, some of the younger, smaller looking ones jump with excitement.

"Kristoff is home!" One claps.

Elsa and Hans share a look of disbelief and return to stare at the approaching man in hopeful smiles. The man pulls his reindeer's reins down to the center of the valley, "Queen Elsa... nice to meet you again."

The Queen shakes her head trying to connect that voice to the many events that had been thrown at her these past few days, "Were you the man accompanying Anna?"

He's quiet for a moment. He takes this time to shake off the snow from his furry uniform, slowly he wipes his nose and smiles, "Yea..."

Hans sighs inwardly as he tries to keep a princely manner in front of this man that had stole his true love from him, "We need you back in the castle to save Anna."

"Who are you?" He asks. The man pulls out a carrot and places it in the reindeer's mouth before pulling it out and finishing the rest itself. Elsa and Hans both try to hide their faces of disgust while simultaneously keeping their meals in their proper locations.

"I'm Prince Hans," he bows slightly, not wanting to waste any time on conversation now.

Kristoff squints, "What? But you were supposed to give Anna true love's kiss? You were supposed to thaw her freezing heart!" He starts getting very defensive, as if he assumes Hans has hurt Anna.

Hans turns away and laughs, "Well, that didn't work, _Kristoff_," he almost spits the name out in a cruel manner. Elsa steps closer to Hans, almost as if she was ready to restrain him if the Prince's temper became too upsetting. Hans relaxes himself, "she loves you..."

The boy's eyes light up as he pushes his blond hair back as a blush crawls up onto his face. The reindeer at his side smiles widely as if chuckling happily for his friend. Trolls start gathering closer and whispering. _Kristoff has a girlfriend_. _Kristoff's in love_.

"So I guess one day engagements don't equal true love?" Kristoff confidently jokes.

Hans frowns, his fist tensing, "And how long did _you _know Anna?"

"Boys!" Elsa cuts them both off from a major argument, "If we keep this up there will be no Anna to fight about, we need to get back to the castle as soon as possible."

"Kristoff, Sven, babies," the troll mother's voice sings out over the human's interactions, "Mama made some dinne-" Her eyes grow wide as she recognizes the Prince's auburn hair. She drops her leaves filled with steaming fish and stands protectively in front of Kristoff pointing accusingly at Hans, "What are you doing here? How do you know about what I did?"

"What? Who are you?" Hans asks, his brow creased in complete ignorance.

"Oh," Bulda steps backwards taking a nervous laughter, "never mind..."

Kristoff turns to her, in cocked eyebrow, "What _are_ you talking about, _mother_?" He lowers his gaze, "What did you do?"

She shakes her head as the troll king and her husband, Cliff, start closing in on her, "I didn't do anything... I just helped along true love!"

The troll king shakes his head, not understanding, "_Who's_ true love?"

Bulda looks away with a sly glace, "Kristoff's."

"Anna's my true love," Kristoff adds trying to put together the puzzle spilled out before them by Bulda, "isn't she?"

Hans shakes his head as he folds his arms, "She should be my true love, but the kiss didn't work for some reason."

"The kiss didn't work!" Bulda's eyes grow wide with joy, the humans turn to stare at her, "I mean... so, that must... mean Kristoff is her true love then."

The troll king steps forward in the close circle, "did you mess with someone's love?"

Bulda shakes her head, "No I -"

Elsa throws her arms to the side, accidentally freezing the falling snow in mid-air, "If we don't leave now with this man Anna will die. Even if he isn't her true love, we can't take any more time. We'll come back and solve this mess after we save her."

"After we bring back summer," Hans adds, instinctively grabbing Elsa's shoulder.

A chill runs through the ice Queen's blood at his touch, she turns, "Kristoff, we really need to leave _now_."

"Well, I'd be able to get us down the hill in no time if I still had my sleigh, but I don't," Kristoff stares at the Prince with disdain as he tries to hold some politeness for the Queen.

Elsa sighs as she tries to swirl her magic around in circles icing the air and forming a large block of ice in the center of the clearing. Hans's eyes grow wide as he watches the girl in action, her powers towering in the air and the snowflakes falling in place. She blasts the ice and shapes its corners. A sleigh.

"It's beautiful," Hans almost whispers it, but Elsa can't help the smile creeping up onto her face.

"Well," Kristoff stands impressed along with the others, "let's go save Anna, then. You can hook up your horse and I'll hook up Sven."

* * *

**Thanks for all the reviews and comments - keep 'em coming, they help me write and come up with ideas! Thanks everyone!**

**Troopper17 - I am glad my explanation worked! I'm planning to go into more detail a little later, because he'll have to have a little more one-on-one time with Elsa when the adventure dies down of course! :D Thanks for reading!**

**JavertInMinature - Gaaah, don't spoil it! Of course they were going to heal her! ;D Hahaha, nothing could injure that perfect little face! I hope the horsey reunion was good enough! Thanks for reading! :)**

**Myths And Madness - Hahhaah, we'll have to see! Hopefully they get to Anna in time now! Dun dun dun. Thanks for reviewing I really appreciate the feedback and knowing what direction people like me going in!**

**Exadius - Hahah! The trolls! Did they redeem themselves a little in this chapter? ;D**

**ThePhantomWolf - Adorable Naruto pic, by the way, glad you're understanding! I still like giving you guys something to read every few days since you're all so nice to me! Hope you enjoyed this chapter. It was a little more exposition then action, but we'll get a lot of action next chapter!**

**Rhika - Yay! They're my OTP too! So happy you like it! I try to update regularly, here's another chapter!**

**Thank you all again! Happy Easter/Passover/Egg-Hunting-Day/whatever you celebrate! :)**


	13. Marshmallow's Cousin - XIII

**Shoutout to my little cousin, Cordy, thanks for reading! Hope you like this chapter! :)**

**Disclaimer: I do not own Frozen or Disney.**

* * *

"The Princess..." A sad face looks onto the icy pale body that used to be known as Anna, her body heaves lightly every few seconds but not in any consistency. She was losing breath and heat, "Can't we get any more warmth in here?" The man almost tears up.

"Kai," The servants look at their beloved Princess they had nursed from birth, "We should let her rest in peace."

They both take one last glance at the girl they had watched grow from babe to adult. Kai swallows the large lump in his throat, what was the become of Arendelle?

"O-olaf," Anna shakes as she whispers the snowman's name.

The large ball of snow wobbles over, frowning in contrast to his typically upbeat manner, "Anna we can't make the summer come into this room..."

The girl's eyes water as her cheeks ice with snowflakes, "W-where's E-e-lsa?"

"Perhaps the Duke of _Weasleton_ should just leave then!" The servant's conversation absorbs itself into the heated room. Anna's eyes struggle to turn to the doorway, to figure out what had happened.

"What do you mean _both_ of them escaped? The Prince _and _the Queen? I knew there was something suspicious when he demanded to bring her back to the castle instead of killing her right there!"

"Arendelle is not interested in trading, sir, for the last time!" Kai states loudly, "None of your politics matter to the Arendelle Monarchy."

"We'll just see! Who will be in charge when the Princess dies? The Queen is already a lost cause..."

Anna whimpers, as if she wants to defend her sister's name.

"I don't know," the servant's voice lowers, "let's just let her pass peacefully without bothering her for now."

* * *

"Come on Sven!" Kristoff yells loudly over the frantic winds, "You can run faster than this!" He slaps down on the reins as the reindeer picks up pace through the blowing snow.

Hans lowers his eyebrows, "Speed up, Sitron! You're the fastest animal I've ever seen!" The Prince calls out to his horse in a confident manner as the horse stomps the snow bellow his hooves a tad quicker.

Kristoff cocks his head over to Hans, without even looking at his reindeer he whips the reins faster, "Come on, boy! Faster, you were bred for the snow!"

Hans scoffs, "Faster, Sitron! You can do it," He squints at Kristoff, "You're the best!"

"Faster!"

"Come on boy, quicker!"

Elsa shakes her head as she grabs both of their reins, she freezes the fabric, so that jagged ice juts from it and pokes the boys' hands. Kristoff recoils from the speed and Hans refrains from using his reins. Elsa gives them both a sideways glance and lays herself back into the sleigh. _Boys_.

"There's Arendelle's castle!" Hans yells for the group. They all turn and try to make out the landmark amidst the flurry.

"Anna," The Queen's eyes light with sadness as she pictures the dying girl lying on a bed without any hope left. She owed her so much. _Hold on, Anna_.

The ice sleigh bounces as shards fly off due to the crooked countryside. The town is littered with people, drinking soup, packing their bags to abandon the city, and lighting fires to keep warm. Heads turn as the platinum blond flies by.

No faces are registered. One can only guess at the reactions. Some of shock, some of hope. Most of scorn. She would need to give a helluva good speech to redeem herself after this one. The sleigh slides on the cobbled street as Sitron's hooves click faster on the familiar terrain.

The reindeer and horse skid as they halt in front of the towering gates to the castle. Locked and frozen shut. Elsa stares at the lock, thick with ice. She begins blasting it with her own icy magic, to crack it the slightest bit.

Hans looks around, making sure no one is looking. He smirks at the struggling Queen as he removes his glove and merely grabs the lock in his fist. Slowly his hand and sleeve become saturated with melting water. The lock falls onto the stoned pathway with a clink as Hans stares up at the Queen with a sly smile.

Elsa folds her arm in a sardonic pose, "I could have done that."

The Prince replaces his glove, "_Sure_ you could have."

"Oookay," Kristoff's eyes flash between the two strange humans, "is that, like, normal around the upper circles? Do all Queens and Princes have magic powers?"

Hans chuckles as Elsa turns away trying to keep straight-faced. For some reason, everything became funny when it came out of Hans's mouth. She couldn't help but indulge herself in his type of wit.

"Anna's waiting," is all he offers to the blond ice deliverer next to him.

Kristoff replaces his hat on his head as he ties Sven to a gate post and pushes the doors open wider, "Anna's waiting for us all."

Hans brushes Sitron's mane out as he scratches his chin goodbye.

The courtyard is empty, void of life. Only a small head pokes out from a window above, to hear what all the ruckus was on the streets below. His toupee goes flying before his body to call an alarm on the two escaped convicts.

"Stand down!"

Elsa turns to the guards, _her_ guards, ready to shoot at her with crossbows. Her heart beats faster and she can feel ice push itself to the brink of her of her palms. The Queen's hands shake, she knows they will not easily walk through here.

"We need to get to Princess Anna! We have the cure to her affliction!" Hans yells in general to the surrounding militants. The Prince's heart probably races faster than any of theirs. Afraid to show more people his secret. Afraid he might really hurt someone.

Kristoff holds himself close to the supernatural duo, this would be the second time he'd have to deal with getting attacked. _ All for Anna_, he catches himself laughing... that girl was going to get him into so much trouble.

"The cure?" A servant steps out from behind the armed guards, his face pained visibly with how much he clearly cared for the Princess.

Elsa turns recognizing the voice, "Kai! Please," her voice strains, "let us go up and save Anna, we know how to!"

"She is a danger!"

"Kill her!"

The Duke steps out, "She attacked me, she attacked all of you. She is bluffing now, only to get to the Princess and kill her!"

"Don't attack her! She's telling the truth," Kai tries to argue over the blood hungry men but is lost amongst them all.

No one knows who shot first, and that's usually how it is in war. A young lad, someone new to a weapon accidentally fires. It wasn't what he meant, but everyone else was thinking it so they all act on his mistake.

Elsa quickly moves to dodge the flying arrow, as she ices the ground around her. More arrows begin to fly as swords are unsheathed. Her heart is now miles ahead of her. Men surround her, and yell thousands of different words – but all she can think about is Anna.

"A little help here?" Kristoff grunts as he holds his own against a large poleaxe trying to bear down on him. The sturdy ice deliverer can feel his muscles getting ready to give way.

Elsa briefly glances over from her display as she crafts a ball of sharp ice in her hands. She tosses it to the struggling Kristoff. He bolts from the attack that slams into the hard ground with a boom and dives for the ice weapon, grabbing it in his heavy woolen gloves, ready to bash away anyone who comes at him now.

A rope is wound around the Queen's wrist, straining her access to her powers. She screeches as she breaks free and haphazardly shoots wherever her body desires, she shuts her eyes – hoping that eventually the whole world will just shut out. Her palms keep firing the girl's power, piling it up, higher and higher - collecting the sinister notions in her emotions and adding them to the towering pile of ice.

Her body shakes, slowly opening her left eye and giving in to curiosity as if to learn the faces of her captors. But none stand around her and she is left only in the shadow of a giant, a block of ice jagged and distorted. It looked like it was made up of black ice and white ice... but pure fear laid at its heart. Slowly the block starts to give way to life. Moving.

Elsa shakes her head, "No, what have I done!" The creature of ice slaps the ground causing bodies to flop onto the cold ground and go unconscious themselves. The creature was a mirror of what she had locked up inside of her.

It doesn't listen to her, none of her magic works on winding the ice back into her grasps. Its too powerful. Elsa just couldn't conquer her fear like this. She runs after the ice, no longer are the angry militants fighting the trio, no, instead they are all working on this large, terrifying shard of their Queen, heading slowly over the bridge towards the city.

"Stop! Listen to me!" Elsa shoots the feet of the creature, trying to freeze them into place. But the creature only turns and sprays the Queen with a jagged slap of her own ice. She yells as her small body flies into the stone wall of the bridge.

Hans's eyes shoot up as he turns from the pointless power show between him and another man. He gathers the henchman's sword as the man falls out of breath. The Prince jogs quickly to the panting Queen.

"Elsa! Are you alright?" Hans stares at the pale girl's face that struggles with regaining its breath, "Come on Elsa, it's not over... we have to save Arendelle! Elsa..." The Prince holds the pale face in his gloved hands as the girl's platinum blond hair falls out of its braid and onto his arms.

She slowly flutters her eyes open to the sight of the Prince holding her like he truly cared. Like he would die if she was really hurt, "H-hans!" She jumps a bit in shock.

Hans doesn't allow her anymore time to register, he only grabs her hands and pulls her up, steadying her in his arms. She gasps as her heart picks up its pace – if this kept up she'd have a heart attack before the end of the day. But this time was different, she wasn't terrified, it was only new... she'd never been held like this before.

"Kristoff!" Hans shouts to the distracted man playing with his new ice sword, "Let's go save Anna! Come on!"

All three of them regain from the surprise ambush as they sprint for the castle, their feet only slow as they see the result of Elsa's ice creature whose direction changes at the onslaught of attention from militants. Anyone who can hold a weapon is in the main courtyard – the visiting dukes, the advisers, all of them trying their best to keep the attacking creature off the grounds.

The ice screams a flurry of snow as the wind picks up a howl and blows people into their neighbor. Elsa's fear finds her again, "What have I done?"

"We'll fix it," is all Hans can offer. His eyes scan the scene as the distracted ice giant aims at the individual peons shooting small pricks of wood at him instead of the castle – where Anna must still be resting. The main doors into the castle stood adjacent, but open to any entrant, "the doors are open!"

Elsa follows slowly behind the running men, unable to break away from the creature she had blasted into existence out of fear.

"Elsa! There's not much time left!"

She shakes her head, as she steps between the guard men, ready to fight side by side with them to bring this creature down. A few of them turn heads to catch the rogue Queen gearing up beside them, but none dare attack her now.

Her breath steadies as she breathes in through her nose and out through her mouth. She would end this all, once and forever. Her ice rushes through her veins as she calls upon it, shooting it up at the creature's body, as if trying to paralyze it from moving.

She turns a moment, almost forgetting about Hans, "You two go! I'll stay here!"

Hans shakes his head stepping away from the castle doors, "Never! I'll stay with you, Elsa!"

"You know the castle! Get him to Anna! Quick, Hans," she turns to face him and their eyes meet directly, "Please do this for me!"

The Prince nods at her, swallowing his gentlemen attitude. She was a tough girl, she could handle herself. Elsa turns away from the men, ready to take down this icy picture of her fear.

"Come on, Kristoff!" Hans bursts through the castle doors, surprised by the freezing temperature of the usually crisp castle. He brushes off snow along with Kristoff as he quickly glides across the floor towards the overarching stair-case.

"Anna!" The blond yells as he burrows up the heavy stairs. His wet feet slide on the carpet as he follows Hans's direction towards the rooms. The castle's windows are all shut, and yet ice tips its way through the corners in a foreboding manner.

"She should be just through this hallwa-"

"Where do you think you're going?!" The Duke squints maliciously as he observes the male duo. Hans and Kristoff position themselves, as the last furry henchman the Duke has at his fingertips steps out beside him.

"When the Princess dies, the kingdom is mine!" The Duke's eyes gleam as his wolfish fingers tap against one another.

"How do you figure? No one has given you any power in this land!" Hans steps forward, trying to keep his eyes off the door he assumes Anna sits in. If he can push the Duke far enough back, Kristoff can run in solve this whole crisis.

The Duke steps back, "They didn't have to. Arendelle will go bankrupt without monarchs... and I will be the first to purchase this whole country," he giggles wickedly to himself, "it will be all mine!"

Hans takes another step, almost in a casual manner, his princely tone finds itself in his voice, "Well, what if I bought it first? The Southern Isles might be interested in the purchasing of its Northern neighbors."

Kristoff's eyes flash to the Prince not believing what he was hearing, would Hans betray them for land now? His voice sounded so serious. He didn't know the man well enough to be able to call his bluff. The blond steps forward with the Prince, but keeps his distance by the wall.

With the Prince's normal sounding tone, the Duke lets down his guard and continues to absorb steps away from the door, "You _wouldn't _would you? What would your brothers do with this land?"

"Who knows?" Hans shrugs, "Maybe as a reward they'd make me King?"

The Duke's eyes widen as he points accusingly, "And you'd _love_ to be King wouldn't you."

Hans nods convincingly, which isn't hard, deep down he'd love to show them all and_ really_ be King, "Besides they'd rather sell Arendelle to a _Royal family_ instead of a regular _old Duke_..."

'M-Maybe," the Duke slides on his words, "we can split the land? I'll handle trade, _and money_... you handle, well, Kingly duties!"

"Well," Hans almost rolls his eyes but restrains himself, "That would be -"

A faint cough bleeds out from the door next to them all. Hans and Kristoff quickly exchange a stare with one another. Kristoff didn't know who or what to believe anymore, was Hans really that interested in the crown and land? The blond puts his hand on the door causing the Duke to push forward.

Hans's breathing stops as he drops his glove, and shoots a wall of flame at the ground.

The Duke's eyes light up through the flames, "Y-you're a monster too... that's why you didn't want to kill her! You liar!" He spits the words cruelly at the sensitive Prince.

"I guess I am," Hans turns to Kristoff, nodding in a defeated smile as he holds up his palm trying to contain the fire, "Go on. Give her a kiss."

Kristoff opens the door, pushing it open with a creak as the flames outside crackle outside with the ones inside the burning room. A girl, snow white, and ghastly lays helplessly on the couch. Her nose sniffles slightly, as she holds the stick arm of a melting ball of snow.

The snow slowly looks up and makes eyes with Kristoff, smiling widely, "Kept her warm for you!" He wiggles off some of the water trickling off his body, "Let's bring back summer!"

Kristoff chuckles, "I think you've had enough already, buddy, why don't you wait at the window?" He brushes the white hair from her forehead, "Anna, everything will be okay..."

"K-K-ristoff," her blue lips start to pucker in any hope for him to kiss her.

He drops in lower to her lips and brushes his against hers, pressing with a firm but gentle kiss. Anna breathes deeply, trying to absorb what must truly be true love. He grabs the back of her body and holds her lightly in his arms as he refuses to break away until her curse is lifted.

His breath drops as he pulls away and stares back into her eyes, his hands getting cold from her gathering body. She stares with a blushing smile but suddenly shakes her head, as her fingers grow as solid as ice.

"N-no!" She cries, livelier than before, "What did I do wrong? _I know_ I love you, Kristoff!"

The man blushes and looks away a moment, "An act of true love... maybe we're looking at this all wrong?" He brushes her hair behind her ear.

"I don't have any time, Kristoff!" Her eyes break open with tears and as quickly as they fall they freeze to her cheeks, "It's hopeless..."

Kristoff pushes her up, and holds her steadily on his shoulder, "We'll go get your sister, she'll be able to help you. Come on, lean on me... we can go as slowly as you need, Anna."

"Oooh! Is that Marshmallow's cousin?" Olaf waves out the window as he smiles loudly, "Hi Marshmallow's cousin!"

Kristoff's eyes grow wide as he rushes to the snowman's side and tries to tear him from the open window as Anna clings to his shoulder, "Are you crazy?!"

The large ice creature redirects his attention to the loud dancing snowball in the window. Elsa stares up at Kristoff, confused by his still frantic demeanor. Hadn't he kissed Anna? Or were they too late? Snow swirls around the Queen as her lips chew one another in anxiousness distracting her from wrangling the large ice giant, allowing him to swing freely at the castle.

"Hold on, Anna!"

* * *

**Thanks for reading, reviews and comments are greatly appreciated... this story isn't ending anytime soon. ;D**

**TooMuchSarcasm - Thank you very much for reading and reviewing - it means a lot! I'm really happy you like it, and hope I continue to write a well enough story for your enjoyment! :) Unless you were being sarcastic... and then... that's just cruel. ;)**

**Myths And Madness - Hahahah! Talk about passive aggressive, more of THAT to come, hahah! So glad you caught those moments! This chapter was a lot less talk and more action, hopefully I painted it well enough. Thanks for continuing to read/review, I love it!**

**Hi - Well, hi, ;) I did go back and edit that one chapter for that one word, just because one another person had said something about it. I'm glad you like the story. I agree that it is a Disney story, but I thought a K+ rating would cover one word like that, it's fine though. I'm glad you took the time to tell me, thank you.**

**PabloPenguin1800 - Well thank you so much! I really appreciate getting reviews, and I'm glad you appreciate my updates! ;) Hope you keep enjoying!**


	14. What Is True Love? - XIV

**Tried to keep this part of the story a little cannon. Sorry it's been a little while! :D Hope you guys like this chapter!**

**Disclaimer: Frozen and Disney are not mine.**

* * *

All Hans hears is a faint scream being carried by the howling winds. One that is certainly reminiscent of Elsa. He turns; ready to dash to her rescue – as any Prince is trained to - but his eyes fill with shock as he finds the ground shaking beneath him. An icy hand tears its way through the wall where he had moments before sent Kristoff; boards crash and shatter with flaking shards of ice scratching the Prince with splinters of magic snow and wood all in a surprise attack.

His heart beats quickly as his fire escalates, unbeknownst to him. The Duke seizes the opportunity, signaling his henchman to attack. The bearded man pounces on the flustered Prince, unsheathing his sword in mid-blow.

Hans's eyes flash quickly before him as he summons his inner self to a controlled level. He pushes the man's chest, bearing strength against strength. The two grunt in a struggle as the henchman lays his weight further into the young boy.

The Prince can feel his power failing him, but he holds on fast, keeping his wavering grip on the henchman's coat. His eyes shield themselves from the final blow as he tries to duck his head further into his chest. And yet something deep within him, honed from years of heretical rejection, refuses to believe he will be beat here. A fire deep within himself begins to burn and flare the boy's spirits.

"Get," his voice strains as he heats up his hands, setting the man's coat ablaze, "off me!"

The henchman jumps back, hastily patting out the flaming attire. The flames continue to engulf the long hallway as the Prince's resolve blares its message. He would not die. He would not lose. _He would save Arendelle. _His family would _have_ to accept him then.

A grin cracks its way to Hans's freckled skin as it illuminates amidst the burning fire. His hands flex as he prepares himself for battle, he could not lose. Not now.

* * *

The chaos ensuing outside is nothing of a lesser pace than that inside. Anna nudges her head further into Kristoff's breast as the pair falls closer onto castle scaffolding. The first impact jolts the nerves of the large blond, from the toes all the way up into the elbows. He positions Anna, carefully into his body to lessen her impending fall, she was as easy to move as a bag of ice.

The snowman laughs wildly in free-fall until his body separates into three distinct pieces after colliding into one of the castle's many obstacles, emitting a change of emotion from the ball of snow as he tries to recollect his body.

Kristoff and Anna continue to slip down the roof of the castle, bracing themselves for another long tumble. The large ice carrier's feet press deeply into a heavy stance as he tries to stomp into the snowy tops of the Queen's home. The ice beneath his feet prepare him for slipping as they begin to slow but continue towards the impending edge of the castle.

Anna coughs without even looking out into the cold, white world swirling around her. She had only one glimpse of her resting place of warmth before the ice giant destroyed what little time she could have hoped to have for survival. It was far too cold out here for her.

Another icy tear freezes itself to her cheek as her soft chin rests on Kristoff's itchy jacket. All she can do is listen for her last few breaths. Listen, and hear the scary beating of the snow monster, the screams of the townspeople... the burning of the castle. Her once fragile world was crashing down around her.

"Just a little longer, Anna!" Kristoff shouts along the wind, as he attempts to grab onto a chimney spout. He pushes his legs out in front of him, to brace himself from the sliding ice. They hit the brick and a line of pain pierces through him, but he shakes it off. He looks worriedly around the white tundra for the little ball of snow, "Olaf!"

"I'm okay!" Is all that can be heard from the now invisible snowman.

Kristoff breathes deeply with relief as he positions his back on the chimney and takes Anna into all of his warmth. Her small body fits like a small puzzle piece into his large body, curling into him and holding on steadily for warmth and survival.

All he can do now is wait with her. His eyebrows crease in pain, as his mouth frowns in disbelief. He had finally met this woman, one full of light and life... and now he couldn't save her. He takes his woolen gloved hand and wipes the wetness off of the Princess's face, pulling her closer into his body.

Slowly he removes his hat, cringing as the icy wind takes easy swipes at his ears, biting them with coldness. He places it on the girl's white hair and tucks it heavily over her ears protecting them from the merciless winter. The blond takes off his coat next, teeth chattering as the ice relinquishes no mercy on his body. His shaky hands wrap the heavy coat around the fragile body as he pulls her impossibly close into his body. The way they sit connects their bodies as one, as both freeze amongst the winds.

Kristoff's head can scarcely turn from Anna to brace for the next blow from the ice giant. It wasn't intended for the pair – they were mere ants on top of the castle's large hanging roof, the icy creature swings out of fear, out of strength, into any object sitting in its way. The lower pillars of the castle crack and fall into the courtyard, as the duo begin to slip into the main fray beneath them. Kristoff thinks fast and practically rides the falling rubble into safety as the pair bounces from castle tree to bush to ground.

The militants cry out as they retreat from the deteriorating castle crashing in front of them. Elsa's knees grow week as she angrily covers her ears. She falls onto the ground beneath her, giving up, letting go. _You did all of this_. _Anna is dead because of you._ Her eyes grow heavy with sadness as the strong Queen gives up. She gives in as her face distorts into tears at not being able to save her falling kingdom.

Elsa's anger and sadness fills the air around her, escalating the snow to new heights unseen by the fearful country. Several militants fall to their feet, no longer able to stand amidst the wind. The Queen was reaching new emotional levels that she couldn't control. She shakes her head wildly as the sun seems to disappear and the world seems to go black.

Only cold ice can be felt on the skin of those trying to withstand the storm. The ice creature screams, howling loudly into the wind, scaring those in town, waking the smallest child from a nap, startling what animals remained tied up in stables. The creature gathered this new power, this lack of sun. It thrived on the power and stood tall amid the tiny people at its feet.

The only thing it had to destroy, laid deep within the Queen. Elsa had destroyed all the happiness that had ever entered her life through her fear of her own destruction. She had eliminated any memories of her and Anna. Because Anna was as good as dead to her. She killed any hope of romance with this new Prince, because he hadn't returned. He had left her, like anyone would have. She shakily wrestled her hands as she vocally began to wish death upon herself. To end all of this pain and madness.

Anna screams softly, as she squints up to the large ice creature. Soft lanterns swayed violently in the courtyard, illuminating the terrifying giant. Ice juts up from the ground and pokes the very existence of the duo laying in its reach. Kristoff tries to cover Anna's mouth, but she moves away.

"I-I," Anna's body drops closer to the ground, "E-Elsa, needs-s me..."

"A-Anna," Kristoff's teeth could break off with the strength of their chatter, "d-don't!"

The Princess's remaining strength slowly gathers as she pulls her body to a stand. The ice creature heaves in a power hungry lurch, ready to take out the last thing in its way... the last bit of doubt in its existence. Elsa.

Anna moves slowly and can only watch the heavy snow filled feet smash into the ground, moving closer to her frozen sister. Elsa just sits there, attached to the ground, ready to give up. Anna's ribs ache with pain as she watches the tips of her fingers freeze to ice, what would she give to have a voice loud enough to gather her sister's attention right now.

Her eyes burn as she pushes her tightening muscles through the heavy winds to her sister. So many things were frozen in Arendelle... if only Anna could unfreeze her sister with what little time she had left all of this could stop. _You only get one sister, Anna, don't let her go_, the words of her father echoed loudly in her head. She pulls Kristoff's jacket closer to her chest.

The princess's heart pangs as she feels it being tapped full with ice. The snow creature screeches with delight as he picks up his arm to swipe at Elsa. Anna's feet pick up faster with her last few heavy breaths trying to beat this final blow. Five more left. Four more left. Three more left.

Everything seems to happen unbearably slow and quick at the same time.

"Elsa! L-Look ou-!" Anna's body goes cold and freezes as she steps over her sister's. Her body looks ready to wrap around the Queen's, arms and all. All Elsa can do is stare up into those eyes. Those frozen eyes of her sister, of her now gone sister.

The Queen shakes her head in disbelief. Her nose starts to sting with sadness as tears fill the brink of her eye. Her chest grows wide with anger, and snow fills the very outline of her own hands. Some grief is too great to even be real.

The ice creature's hand lays only inches away from her sister's lifeless body, but Elsa wastes no time. Her body shakes with power, some power she had never had before.

"Don't you _dare_ touch her!" She yells with more loudness than she had ever mustered within herself ever before. Snow blasts from her hands and pierces through the very ice of the creature that had been given life by her... cutting every fear she had of her power down into a puffy light powder.

The snow creature recoils with pain as it accesses the damage done to its body, ice slides off of its shoulders and shatters into pieces as they hit the ground. Elsa stands strongly, no longer weighed by those emotions of heavy burden. Her timing doesn't stop as a barrage of harmonic attacks slice the ice that stood as the last obstacle before her people, as the obstacle that had killed her sister.

She would conquer her fear and destroy it to a puddle if it were the last thing she did.

Her anger mounts but at least its in time to her sorrow as she blasts the creature harder than she had the past few times. Ice slides in alarming numbers, threatening to hit the fallen soldiers. The Queen creates ice shields over their heads, as the ice melts to water, and pats down into pools in front of them. The men look in shock at one another as the Queen's range grows.

Elsa's eyes flash to Anna for one slight moment and threaten to break everything she had built right now in her avenging moment. Her sister's detached eyes slice through Elsa's heart as she takes one last blow at the staggering creature, its body slowly melting into streams around the court.

Her attention is gathered for a brief moment to a fire deep within the castle but she focuses first on the shattering of the ice giant forgetting the smoke entirely. The ice had no power over her anymore. The people Elsa loved were gone... but nonetheless they had taught her enough, they had taught her she had the power to control herself.

"Anna..." her breath is faint as she slowly gathers the swirling snow at her finger tips. The snow falls lightly, and soon not at all as it gathers through the Queen's nose and back into her palms. She had control.

Her body turns quickly to her sister, her dress bellowing slowly in the calming wind. She reaches for Anna's cold neck and feels the ice prison she had captured her sister in. Her head aches as she shakes it in despair, she crevices her head into Anna's wrapping arms as her tears fill her eyes. There was so much she could do, and Anna would have been so proud of her to see her control her powers like this.

"Anna," the Queen's voice cracks, "I'm so sorry..."

No snow flurries around the emotional Queen, she had the strength to prevent it now... to feel it _and _conceal it. She runs her hands down the icy back of her sister, as if trying to convince her brain its real and not some figment of her imagination. Anna was gone.

It must really have been a miracle, something only ever heard of in fairytales. The Princess, in feeling the Queen... in watching her sister protect her and fight for their land as she had... had lifted the curse on her frozen heart. It was an act of true love, not one tainted with wavering feelings, or magic... but a love unbound-less, a love between sisters. A love that would never break.

At first it sounded only like the splash of Elsa's tears landing on that of Anna's frozen body, but soon it came to be known it was the Princess's body melting back into normalcy. Slowly her skin gained its complexion once more, her hair its fiery pattern, and her clothes their vibrant colors. Elsa continued to hold her thawing sister close, unaware her love was the stronger than any could possibly be.

"E-Elsa!" Anna's voice was jubilant once more, if not a little fragile still, after the adventure of the past few days, "I'm, I'm alive!"

The Queen's eyes light up, and her heart panics in a brief moment, "Anna!" Her smile widens and its the first large toothy smile the Princess had ever seen emitted from her older sister.

"True love conquers..."

Elsa giggles slightly in a wave of feelings, "Big sister's love conquers."

It was Anna's turn to pull her sister in closer. For so many years she had been told to wait outside the door Elsa had locked her out of. And now she was allowed in, and she would never let that door close again. Their hug could last for minutes even years, but it could never last too long in the wake of a goofy ball of snow.

"What happened to Marshmallow's cousin?" The two elated sisters giggle as the snowman waddles over in confusion, knocking puffs of slush out of his head. His body had been regathered in the storm, but his arms were misplaced and he was still a little dazed. He stops dead in his tracks his mouth dropping lowly, "Anna! Your hair, it's normal again!"

Anna feels her soft hair through her hands and turns to face the snowman, "I decided to go natural, you know?"

Olaf nods in the way the snowman typically does and then takes a swing of random words, "Let's go kiss Kristoff and save you!"

Anna blushes wildly as the snowball announces her secret crush to the world. Elsa gives Anna a joking look, and the Princess gets ready to explain, "Well, Olaf I'm already _saved,_ and he's, um, he's just... I, mean I met him..."

"Hey, can I have my hat back?" The tall blond stands mere feet away from the babbling Princess causing her to stop in her tracks, blood rushes to her face again as she realizes shes decorated head to toe in his clothing, "How are you, Queen Elsa?"

Anna drops her finger slowly from her explanation stance, "Wait... you two know each other?"

"Yea," Kristoff cocks his head, "We went through all this trouble to come and save _you_," he presses her nose like it were a button and the Princess pushes it away with her tongue out at the mocking man. _He was no prince_.

"I didn't _ask _for saving," the red head turns away from the crowd and folds her arm, the adventure of the day was over. She was alive. Elsa was slowly taking back the winter... everything in her mind was solved.

Kristoff rolls his eyes, he fakes a cough, "Don't mind me, I'll just freeze to death..." He playfully mocks her as she punches him lightly in the shoulder. Elsa just looks on, watching the two in amazement. It was a match made in... _some place at least_. Kristoff nods to the Queen, "So where is Prince Fireballs?"

The Queen's eyes want to roll at the silly pet name, but soon Elsa's eyes start searching around in frantic panic, Hans hadn't returned. All that remained in the courtyard was dripping snow, recovering men, the three of them and a snowman playing with its nose. There was no Prince in sight. She stops briefly for a moment, something tickling the inside of her nostril, how odd; _was something burning_?

Her eyes scan the castle and slowly capture a glimpse of a collecting smoke smattering the air in the upper wing. She shakes her head, "Hans..."

Before any of the others can even put two and two together the Queen dashes off into the castle without a moment's hesitation. She hears them calling her name, but doesn't even stop. How naïve was she to assume he'd be okay on his own? After all he had done for her! Her feet quickly tap up the winding staircase.

The castle was wet with melting ice, and quickly increasing in temperature as she regained her control. But that couldn't mean good things for a man who thrived in a hotter climate. Her heart races as she ducks down the hallway, her feet slipping now and again on the puddles forming on the waxed wood of the castle floor.

"Hans!" She yells, the smoke around her gets thicker, and the heat greeting her gets hotter, all she can do is mumble to herself, "Please be okay..."

She slams quickly onto her own brakes as she enters the long bed chamber hallway, flames engulf the entirety of this sector of the castle. The fire is spread on the mantels, the windows, the doors. Elsa coughs, as wind breaks through an opening where a guest room used to be, now only splinters remain. Her eyes graze over a man lying in a corner, unconscious from some scuffle earlier. It seems as if the bottom of his uniform is burnt, she recognizes him from that night in the ice castle.

Through the thick haze she can make out the suited man she seeks. She tries to continue further towards him, but something about fire and ice doesn't mix well with her. Her lungs fill with the heavy burning smoke as she is reduced to lower ground where the heat isn't nearly as terrible.

"You're a freak sorcerer! I will tell your kingdom, I will tell all the kingdoms!" The Duke spits his threats hastily at the young Prince who in turn starts to worry more and light his way higher in flame.

"How dare you speak to me like that!" Hans's fire rages higher, to an uncontrollable level. His emotions run high. What would his family say... what would his brothers do, if they heard of him showing his curse off to the world?

"Your type deserves to be killed... eradicated from the world. What little good it does to the people! No one wants you and your destruction!" The Dukes eyes light with fear as the fire reaches closer and closer to the nips of his clothes.

Hans has heard those words before, those words that had scarred him deep beneath the surface. That he was destructive, useless... that no one wanted him. The Prince's heart aches as his mind twists with childhood trauma spitting out an unstable man right before the Duke.

Hans shakes slightly as his mind plays tricks on him, memories of being locked outside of the castle for coming home too late. Memories of not even getting a scrap to eat at the table because he might burn the house down. Being rejected from Anna because he wasn't her true love... losing the Queen because he lied to her about his powers.

The Prince pulls his deadly hands up to his bright hair and pulls at the strands as he tries to come up with a plan. His feet move quicker, the only way to end these memories, these painful pictures of the past was to delete the man spewing the words that recalled them from the Prince's archives.

He pulls the fancy jacket of the Duke closely into his grip. He would burn the memories. Ignore them all and live on his own, _if only someone loved you, Hans_.

"Hans! Don't be the monster!" Elsa's voice strains over the crackling fire. She can feel the unstable boards beneath her as she senses the Prince's wavering stability, "You can control your powers – it's not a curse. Follow your heart, Hans!"

The Queen moves against her mind's control, but she had frozen the Prince in midstep, he was waiting for her to continue. This past day had been explosive for her. How much had she conquered, and how much rebuilding laid ahead of her? She wavers slightly as she walks around the flames, placing her fear deep within a small place inside her, her hands move carefully with deep precision... but they touch the Prince's waist slowly, and they retain that speed as they wrap around him.

"Please, Hans," The Queen's voice wants to crack, "Please, stop. Think about your heart, you don't want to do this..."

The Prince shakes his head as he looks dead into the pupil of the Duke, scrunching his nose as he tries to place his feelings and his grip, "Elsa... how do you expect me to follow my heart... when it's been shattered into so many pieces?"

Elsa pulls away a brief moment, her eyes flashing in the burning fire. Her voice remains monotone and gentle as she holds the Prince tightly as if they were both riding Sitron as peacefully as they had in the past, "Pick one piece up, and rebuild."

* * *

**Comments and reviews are greatly appreciated! Before I get into your comments I found this funny lyric on Tumblr to the "I've Got A Dream" song from Tangled, but Hans's version!**

**"I've got a dream.  
I've got a dream.  
And it's ruling Arendelle as reigning king.  
And through all this sibling drama  
I'm so glad I married Anna  
Now all that's left to do is kill the queen."**

**Hahah, I thought it was funny... though Hans is nice in MY story. ;) It got me thinking though, _should Rapunzel and Flynn make an appearance in my story like they did in the movie_? Let me know!**

**...**

**Myths And Madness - Yaaay! So happy I surprised you! That's a huge compliment to a writer you know? I'm glad you like the Krisanna, I try to put a little in there to keep it cannon... this chapter had a bit, but next chapter will be A LOT of Helsa, it's finally coming! Oh, and I can't believe you like my Olaf lines... they are so hard for me to write, I literally sit here for 10 minutes trying to think of something Olaf would say in that situation, but I'm so happy you think that pays off! :D Thanks for reading and reviewing so often!**

**LillyStoppable - Yaaaay! You're back! Hahah, I was looking for your reviews a while back. ;) Glad you're back, they're always very insightful and happy! There will be more to the powers too, obviously in these chapters the main goal is to "get the summer back" so all explanations are kind of short but when Hans and Elsa are alone both of them will need to talk a little more to understand the other. ;D HOW DID YOU GUESS THAT? But yes, you were right, the love was enchanted by the trolls - and there will be more of them, don't worry... they'll get what they have coming to them, lol. So happy you think my story is so special - your reviews are so special to me! I feel bad when I don't update for a while because I know you guys want to know what'll happen next! :D**

**JFK - How do I even answer this? Um, yes... 35th president, please, hit me up! Thanks for reviewing Megan... really appreciate it *sarcasm* ;)**

**Xavier College - *see above and double the sarcasm, Lauren* ;)**

**Hi - It was no problem! I want everyone to read my story and be happy (and hopefully review, lol) ;) So it was no trouble to do, and it was just as easy to take it out. Of course they will have to kiss! But I can't spoil how! I don't even know how yet, but the story has a long way to go, of romance... and picking up Hans and Elsa's "broken pieces"... so Hans will have to deal with his brothers and so on, and Elsa will have to regain trust with the kingdom. Thank you for reviewing, I really appreciate your feedback!**


	15. Fire and Ice - XV

**Oh boy, this is a long chapter... a bit of Kristanna for some of you guys - and lots more Helsa! :)**

**Thanks for all the reviews and support, I love it all! Thanks for reading Chantalle - and for your science homework. ;)**

**UPDATE: AS OF 5/4/2014 I POSTED THIS AT 11:14 PM AND AM IN THE MIDDLE OF EDITING IT, SO IF YOU SEE PROBLEMS, bare with me. :D**

**Disclaimer: Frozen and Disney are not mine.**

* * *

"Should we follow her?" Kristoff turns to Anna, the young girl slowly removes one of her layers and returns it to the burly blond. The sun was beginning to peak out from the sky and heat up the Earth once more. Mountains of snow surrounding them still remained, squishing underneath their feet and emitting chills from within the ground it still froze to, but it would soon be summer again. And yet, _her_ eyes focus on nothing but the castle.

"I don't want Elsa shutting me out," her head tilts to the side a degree to look at the snowman wobbling in front of the pair, as if to find a hidden answer within him; her eyes only gaze off into thought, "but something tells me she knows what she's doing," the Princess's personal dialogue continues, "though I _thought_ she knew what she was doing during her coronation and _that _didn't really work out as planned."

Kristoff shakes his head, interrupting the girl's awkward conversation with herself. He pushes his large body forward and puts a hand on the feminine curve of a shoulder, "We'll wait a bit and then head in, how's that..." he stretches his arms as the bones pop with air deep within them, "besides aren't you sore from, well, being frozen up in that room for so long?"

The Princess turns abruptly almost spinning on her foot a little too quickly causing her balance to shift onto Kristoff, "Oooh, heh, sorry," she shakes her head and straightens herself out, "Um, yea... we'll just wait _a moment_."

"Yea." Kristoff turns, replacing his large hands to his pockets as he scratches the back of his neck with his burly shoulders, the itchy fabric was constantly tickling the sensitive skin behind his ears.

Anna bites her lip in awkwardness, when was she ever at a loss of words with someone? And Kristoff of all people? It's easy to spot the blush breaking through on her pale skin as she turns to break conversation with the ice carrier, "I-um, sorry the kiss didn't work... something must have not been right."

"Oh!" The boy's eyes light up as his skin turns redder than the blood that pumped through him, "What we said up there... I-I, um."

The red head nods somewhat timidly, "Right, I was really sick... I..." and yet her head tilts just a tiny bit on that axis once more, "_I said I loved you_..."

Kristoff could swear his heart decided to take a leap for a brief moment, but he regains composure long enough to force a typical grin of his liking. However, the blond can't help the widening of this grin as he breaks into a nervous laugh, "I can't believe I didn't tell you up there, Anna..._ but I really like you too._"

_Really like? _The Princess stares into those light brown eyes searching for something more, but she settles – she responds with a smile that exudes warmth into the melting earth around her.

"Good thing Hans didn't know how to kiss," Olaf nods in his fashion, standing oddly close to the two humans. All three of them blink at one another, trying to hold laughs, trying to stop their heads from shaking. What had been the life-changing events that had occupied their last few days?

Anna pulls her hand up to cover her grinning smile, winking to Kristoff while interspersing her giggle throughout her statements – Kristoff had missed that life about her, the whole day he didn't have her, "Actually, Hans _did _know how to kiss... _it was very satisfying_."

Kristoff blows the tuft of blond hair falling on his face up into the air, "Yea? They probably taught him that in Prince School or something."

The Princess jokes with the oddly sensitive boy a bit more, "They probably did... You should ask him for lessons, Kristoff."

The boy scoffs at this proposition, "Well, for your information, _your majesty, _you were no bed of roses to kiss either! With your stone cold lips and icy cheeks. If I wanted to kiss an ice cube, I could have just gone to work today!"

She folds her arms, soaking in the debacle the pair was creating – she loved every second of it, "I suppose you'd want to try again!"

"I suppose I would!" He shouts back in retort. The man quickly pulls away and checks his remarks, afraid of his last statement as a steady blush finds a permanent spot among his cheeks, "I-I mean... um, can, I? Yes? Can we kiss, again?"

The Princess turns on her heel this time with an air fit for royalty of the highest rank, she nods exceedingly with excitement. The ice carrier merely wraps his large arms around his waist and pulls her off her feet into his proximity. His lips land on hers with much more ease than the first time. Her thin lips felt so soft on his rugged ones.

She steps up onto his boots to match his height as his grip tightens at her waist. Something still pounded in the back of his head, that he should say he loved her, that he should do something more. But he wouldn't rush it. This was fine right where it was.

"I wonder if the love experts have any more advice for you guys!" Olaf's mouth smiles widely as the orange carrot that sits as his nose seems to illuminate in the shinning sun with almost as much life as he gives off. Almost.

Anna pulls away from the blond a moment, "Hey, yea... you're so called love experts totally tried to pair us up as soon as they met us. And _you _scolded _me_ for falling in love after a day!"

Kristoff can only roll his eyes, "Yea, so they're advice wasn't _that_ great..." he pushes a loose strand of hair behind Anna's ear, it had fallen out of her braids.

Another string of giggles escape from the shinning girl as she stares up into those brown eyes, her hand slowly reaches up to feel the back of his hair, as if she were petting a wild animal. Her body language revealed awe, but her eyes told a story of love she grins a slight catlike smile, "So, what was going through your head when I was frozen?" She looks down at her feet still planted on top of his, "All I saw the white world for one last second, in my last breath, before the creature struck Elsa and _that was it_... then it turned black and cold."

An arrow of figurative words finds a way to pierce through Kristoff's heart. He cups the girl's cheek, how could he explain how terrified he felt in those last few moments? Thinking not only he'd lose her, but he'd lose his whole way of life? How could he tell her when he felt her frost bit fingers he was afraid to even move in fear of breaking them off? How could he reveal that the very prospect of her freezing to death caused him to remember the death of his own father?

Kristoff's face turns away from Anna's. He could never tell such a happy person about the darkness that he hid within his life. The memories play through his head as he tries to smile back at Anna; though he hardly knew his real father, he can still remember the moment the ice gave out from under him at no more than five years of age, he wanted to be like the men of the village - he wanted to mine ice. He knew how to swim but the ice shocked him and he couldn't find his way out as the unforgiving solid created a hard wall above him. His father ran to the hole and dove in to bring his son out of the water and save him. For some reason, unbeknownst to Kristoff, his father never climbed out with him.

Little Kristoff sat there for hours on that ice bank, soaking wet, cold, waiting for his father to come up from underneath the ice. But he never returned. The last image of his father that plagued the young child's mind was his father's hopeless eyes... as if they had given their life to the ice and the ice had decided to freeze them silent forever.

Only a nudging on his shoulder got him to move from that spot, his face wet with tears. A reindeer had gotten itself separated from its herd. And it was the start to a beautiful friendship.

Kristoff snorts at the sad memories that now seem to roll off his shoulders. He had found a new family. He had found friends. He had found Anna. The brown eyes stare back down into the innocent blue ones, "Anna... you really scared me for a moment. But hey, ice is my way of life!"

Anna smiles widely at his humorous attitude. She needed that. Her hand cocks her hip, "So, what? You would just chop me up and sell me as pieces to your buyers?"

Kristoff nods his head nonchalantly, "Hey, that's business, y'know."

"Supply and demand?" She giggles nudging her nose against his.

The two continue to laugh as the foreboding flickering of ash drifts its way through the breeze. Soot starts falling in puffs as it continues to be blown from the tower of Arendelle's biggest landmark.

The snowman's little eyes squint, "Oooh, look fire! That must mean it's summer!"

Anna turns abruptly, "That's really gotten out of control!" Eyes gather and stare up at the flames igniting the adorned rooftop. Reds and oranges peak out almost like flowers in spring and flicker in the growing sun, it was so beautiful and yet so deadly.

"Let's go, Anna!" Kristoff grabs the girl, breaking their short rendezvous, and pulls her closer to the castle doors. This would now be the second time he enter this building in a rushed manner. What was Prince Fireballs up to?

The two tap their feet on the puddles of slush spraying droplets of melted snow around them. They hear the soft pattering of another set of footsteps behind them. Kristoff slaps his forehead a brief moment turning to greet the snowman, "Hey, buddy, Olaf stay out here... it might get really hot in there. Maybe find some shade? We'll be back in a minute!"

* * *

The breathing situation of the young Prince hadn't subsided. His breath remained frantic and uncontrollable just like the fire he exuded. The only thing he could count on were the hands grabbing his waist. The ungloved hands of Queen Elsa.

His eyes shut tightly for a moment, hoping for a brief second he could erase everything. Eliminate this problem. Go home. Leave Arendelle forever. _But why would he leave? _His eyes brush down yet again to those ungloved hands. They weren't freezing him or shooting ice. She had such a delicate control of herself.

Hans would never admit that the water brimming up near the bottom of his eyes were from tears... _no, he just got some ash in them_... All around him, every flame that flickered, every splinter that cracked, reflected his fear and slowly began to swallow him whole.. And it was out of control. He could never flatten the fire now, the damage had been done.

A breath wavers as it escapes his mouth and fear fills the Prince's eyes. The Duke tightens his throat as the grip of fire refuses to relinquish itself from his clothes. _These new royals... all monsters_.

"Hans..." The Queen's voice speaks softly and yet loud enough to roar over the flames, "Stop."

Elsa had stopped the winter... maybe his brother's didn't know best. Maybe Hans too, could control himself. The first step was to_ let it go_. Slowly, and with shaky awkward movements the Duke's feet find their way onto the floor once more.

Hans's legs bend almost, as if he were to bow in apology for his behavior. He steps back, away from the Duke, trying to calm himself down. Elsa's eyes shoot up at the first moment of action, he was doing something. Had her words meant something to him?

She starts to pull herself away, but the Prince's head shakes and he somewhat violently re-grabs her hand to hold onto. The Queen is startled by the typically cool Prince's upset demeanor. Hans holds the hand, their bare skin rubbing against one another. There was no fabric barrier.

"Yo-" The Duke opens his mouth to speak but is immediately silenced by the icy glare of the Ice Queen herself. She continues to walk backwards with Hans, awaiting his next movement... his next self-realization.

He frees his left hand, keeping a tight grip with his right on Elsa's, hovering the free fingers out in front of him. His energy and emotions swirl around him as he tries to focus them. He is in control... and yet fire was much more wild than ice, it took a stabler person to control. Elsa rubs his index finger slowly, trying to calm the frightened man in any way she can.

"Think of a happy time... a happy place," the Queen's voice was as soothing as a lullaby. Was she a singer in the past? Any babe could fall asleep to her gentle hum.

And then the Prince let out another sigh, this one heavy with ash and dust. There weren't very many happy memories to be counted in his library of progress... but his mother's voice reminded him of the Queen's. Back when she didn't care her son was a freak - no, he had to think happy things. _ She loved you, Hans_... his breathing cracks as he tries to picture her without the rain and her harsh final words.

"_Fire, strong and bright... let your flames shine light_," the Prince merely mutters these lyrics under his own breath to himself, and yet Elsa can hear every word. She watches in amazement as the fire dims a little softer as if it were being entranced by its tamer, "_Make my Hans rejoice... bring him his happy smile_," the song is so sad and yet she doesn't know why.

The Prince grips her hand even harder as he enters the final verse steadying himself with pictures of him on his mother's lap. Her long dark hair twisting into knots as he grabbed at the curls, "_Scorch those hateful words... change his fate's design_."

His eyes open to the charred hallway as his posture straightens. He removes the last bit of oxygen from the flames breathing it in through his nose, "Bring my Hans his joy... and his happy smile. _His happy smile_."

The Prince doesn't smile. He stands on the seared wood beneath him. Through the corner of his eyes he could see a bit of the city. Elsa had controlled her powers, and now all that was left was bits of water and slush... _He_ had destroyed this room. _He_ was dangerous.

"Elsa! Hans!" Quick footsteps pound on the loud floor boards and quickly halt at the dilapidated scene of the castle, "Woah, what happened here?"

"Anna," Elsa turns unsure of what to tell her sister... whatever the Prince had locked up inside of him it was clear he would only open the door to Elsa. And it wasn't her place to reveal that to any one else, "Can you please get the guards, we'll need to make sure no one else in the castle is hurt."

Anna nods and quickly turns to head back down to the courtyard but is stopped by Kristoff, "What about Olaf, Queen Elsa? The little guy might melt?"

Elsa blinks in current with her nod, "I'll be down there in a moment..." she turns to a still unresponsive Hans, and notes the Duke still cowering in the corner, "could you please escort the Duke of... um, _Weasel Town_, out of here? I think he's had a hard day."

"Oh," Kristoff raises his brow at the annoying small man, "It'd be my pleasure."

Elsa watches the large man pick the little old one up and over his shoulder as the Duke silently allows for any chance to leave the presence of the sorcerers. It was as if he were paralyzed by fear, only his distant ramblings escaped his lips, "I'm going to give up business for good now... yes... maybe I'll join a monastery, no crazy warlocks there!"

The pair leaves down the corner and Elsa looks for a place to pull Hans into. She wasn't sure how to comfort him, but she needed to do something. She had never seen someone look so defeated and destroyed before. But in a way she had. Her head tilts for a moment to observe those big green eyes of Hans's... how they stuttered with confusion. She _had_ seen someone just like that. _ It was her_, it was like looking into a mirror.

"Hans, let's go sit down..." Elsa offers. The man still refuses to respond, but her room was only just down the hallway at the opposite end. Her hand is no longer only gripped by his, slowly both their fingers intertwine within each other. The Queen felt strange... she had never felt anyone else's skin like this before.

The Prince follows silently behind her, like he was a broken toy soldier that forgot its marching pattern. She carefully opens the lock to her room and helps him into it. Both make no sound. There's no need to make a sound.

"You're the first person to be in here," Elsa states to the open air. Her large windows cast long rays of the sun into the room that seem to dance on her floorboards. It seems in her absence someone had come in and dusted her room for her, for the books were clean and the bed was made – usually she cleaned it herself.

The Prince sits on the bed, breaking away from her hand for the first time. His fingers find their way to his auburn hair as he combs through the strands in an unsteady manner. The fingers touch his whole face, he holds his head up by his chin, he whips his hands through his hair once more, and then he rubs his eyes as he tries to come to terms with what had just happened. Elsa watches every single movement made with those special fingers of his.

The Queen sits down next to him. It was her room, her bed, and yet it was awkward. Her eyes search for something to set on as she tries to get the boy to speak. Where had the calm and collected Prince from a few days ago gone? Her voice almost stumbles on the words, "That was a pretty song..."

Hans's adam's apple bobs a moment as he swallows, "My mother used to sing it to me."

"It's about your fire?" Elsa turns to look at him, but only his side profile was visible. The hefty sideburns he was growing seemed to merge with the freckles a moment as his cheeks twitched.

"Yea. She," The Prince stopped a moment. Was he really going to tell her? His face turned to catch hers head on, those icy blue eyes, that pale complexion. _Yes_. He would tell her, "She sang it to me when I got upset about my _fire_. I would sneeze after I first got... cursed," he seems to whisper the word in fear an invisible person might be hiding in the giant room ready to pounce on him like the Duke had, "and that would cause my fire to escalate... so in the Southern Isles, because the temperature was so warm... for a long time I had to stay up in the highest tower of our castle. The logic being that the blooming flowers couldn't irritate me up there. I had to sit up there all day and watch as all my other brothers got to run around and play..."

"You were stuck in a tower," Elsa looks around her room, picturing herself throughout her whole childhood stuck in frozen in different poses around the painted quarter afraid to exit the safety it provided, "like me..."

Hans turns to her again with a confused face, his gingerly eyebrows curving in genuine sympathy.

"I-I, was afraid to leave this room because of my powers," she turns to his eyes trying to calculate his next question, "so _this_ is _my_ tower." He had revealed so much to her... was it her turn now? She bites her lip, "I got really scared that Anna might see."

"Anna didn't know?" Hans shakes his head, "Oh, _my_ brothers knew."

"I accidentally struck her once... in the head," Elsa could feel her hands getting colder. The whole room started to take on a different temperature, "then, I struck her again a few days ago in the heart." Her hands crack with ice. The bedpost freezes as snow wraps around it sensing the Queen's mood.

Hans quickly grabs her hand, not even thinking about the repercussions. Her hand is so cold, but slowly he warms it up again, "_It's okay Elsa_..." he takes a deep breath turning to look at nothing in particular, "It's so crazy, a day ago I was waiting to get married to Anna, but with you..."

The Queen's eyes grow wide, what was he going to say? Elsa's eyes grow restless but plant themselves into the Prince's charming green ones. She could drown in them. What would he say next? Her mouth slowly breaks into a smile that she can't seem to help as her thoughts run rampant. She knew what she was going to say back.

"It's -"

"Elsa!" A heavy knocking shatters into the room breaking the moment between the two royals. Hans seems to lock himself up again. And Elsa turns away. It was a past.

"Elsa!" Another voice calls in, this one obviously Anna's, "Wanna build a snowman, yet? Because Olaf's melting!"

The Queen quickly excuses herself from the bed, "Anna, you're really loud..." she looks around for the little ball of snow, "where is he?"

"Down here!"

Elsa's hand reaches for her mouth as she stares wide eyed at the tiny ball of snow and carrot. She quickly conjures a snow cloud to hang overhead the small ball of snow, rebuilding him and giving him his shape back. The snowball looks up at the small cloud and happily prances around. Elsa turns to Anna who shares a sisterly exchange of looks with her and both are resorted to a small laugh.

Hans finds his way out of the bedroom and stands oddly close to Elsa. Anna scrunches her brows a bit as if to read into the odd pairing and relation. What had happened with those two? Kristoff nonchalantly slinks his arm around her shoulder and she smiles acknowledging him. The Prince eyes the pairing, he knew it was bound to happen... and yet it felt so weird to say goodbye to Anna.

The four humans and the dancing snowman stand in an awkward hum of silence.

"Thanks for saving me, Hans," Anna speaks up, smiling softly at the somewhat brooding Prince. She pats out her dress, "Arendelle thanks you... and you too, Kristoff!"

"It was nothing, Anna," Hans offers a slight smile but it does nothing to ease the awkward tension of the meeting.

"I, um... the engagement?" Anna pushes her fingers together, not making eye contact with anyone, "What are we... I mean-"

Hans shakes his head, "Anna, it was probably just the fondue that got us all wound up. I won't hold you to an engagement... You love Kristoff," he nods to the blond, his voice holds no emotion in it, "I should probably head back to the Southern Isles now that the ships have been cleared it seems."

The window outside reveals not only a setting sun, mixing with the colors of the day, but also the warm flesh of water spraying against the surf yet again after being confined into blocks of ice these past days. A slight breeze wafts through the broken hallway and tickles the bare skin of the humans.

Elsa shakes her head, looking at nothing in particular only gauging her intuition, "Hans, you can't leave. We'll hold a feast in yours and Kristoff's honor."

Somehow he knew how to translate her words. She knew he wouldn't be happy back home, and perhaps it was selfish of her to want him to stay with her – but she just couldn't let someone go... not someone who was going through all the pain and suffering she was.

Anna's face lights up, "Yes! Oh, Elsa! Another party! We'll open the gates for good now, and -"

Elsa's eyes widen yet again, much in contrast with her sister, "That's not what I said. We can have a quiet gathering... opening the gates, Anna? That did not turn out well the last time..."

"You can control your powers,"Anna lowers her excitement and reaches for her sister's hand, "you have me, and I'll make sure everything is okay."

The Queen sighs in defeat. No one ever said no to Anna. It was nearly impossible. She was either to stubborn, or you just gave in because she was so persistent. Her white hair brushes her shoulders as she tries to re-braid it, "Go see if you can find Kai... the kingdom will resume the coronation party. Have him make up dinner for anyone in the castle and anyone who wishes to come," she brushes to her side getting closer to Hans, her cheeks get red with some form of attraction inching its way up to them, "I need to go get ready."

Anna practically screams with joy, "Elsa thank you, thank you, thank you! I love dancing, even though I'm not very good..." she shakes her head with her optimism, "we'll dance all night Kristoff!"

"I have nothing to wear," the blond whines. He hated people. Obviously, except Anna. His true love danced around him, her two braids flying and smacking him in the face.

"You can borrow one of my outfits," Hans perks up. The couple stops its outlandish behavior and observes the strange Prince. _Seriously, what had happened to him_? Kristoff eyes him steadily.

Anna jumps up a little bit, clapping, "Yes! Ooh, I'll dance with you too, Hans! I hope they make extra fondue!"

Hans snickers, "Anna that last fondue had so much cherry liqueur in it we got engaged! Maybe you should be careful," he smiles... somehow looking at this girl brought him happiness. She was pure, and unbroken, somehow, even after all these crazy events.

"Pff, it's only a little," a loud clang is heard down the hall, "I have to go tell Kai to get ready!"

The male duo watch as the small girl scurries off to warn the servants of her planned debauchery tonight. Both can't help but smile.

"My things are across the hall. I suppose we should go get ready too," Hans nudges the big blond. He didn't really like Kristoff, but there wasn't anything to hate about him either. The same could be said for Kristoff's opinions on the Prince.

"What should I wear?" Both men look down at the little snowman smiling widely, "I've never been to a party before!"

"I don't know," Kristoff shrugs, "What do snowmen usually wear?"

Hans looks down at the odd creature, still confused by its existence, "can you make a jacket out of snow?"

Kristoff pulls on his chin trying to seriously think about snowmen fashion. He stoops to his knees and starts patting at Olaf's body, forming sleeves and details. Hans merely chuckles at the childlike behavior but soon finds himself with the large blond, on the floor. He melts bits of snow to form buttons on the snowman's form and shapes out a fancy design on the hem of the snow coat.

The boys stand up and admire their work of the dapper snowman. Hans nods in approval, "Now all you need is a date!"

"Do you think Marshmallow has a sister?"

"I think Marshmallow's family tree is better left untouched, buddy," Kristoff chuckles as he continues to move through the castle with the Prince.

Anna's word had apparently broken out very quickly. Servants hurry to the burnt area of the castle, scurrying to get it taped up and cleaned for the coming party. Hans quickly moves away from his mess, this could have easily been his castle...

Kristoff's eyes wander, somewhat surprised Anna was a real Princess. A heavy smell of cream wafts up from the kitchens and into the blond's nose. He loves his mother's soups... but pine needle puree and nut surprise could only go so far. Rocks still haven't figured out what this 'taste' thing is all about.

The Prince holds the door for the ice carrier, keeping up with his polite attitude. Kristoff would never be able to do it. He hated people, and he could tell that Hans did too, the Prince was just really good at lying about it and pretending to like them.

"Here," Hans pulls a large flouncy shirt from his traveling chest, "this is actually my older brother's, but it's too big for me."

Kristoff takes the rich fabric and holds it in his hands. Sure there's a little wear to it, but it feels so soft, and has a gorgeous stitching to it. He has never owned something so nice before.

Hans unfastens his heavy coat, the heat never bothered him - the hotter the better. Something deep within him wants to pick some form of clothing that would impress a certain someone, but he quickly brushes away all these thoughts. _She isn't interested, Hans._

The Prince settles on a white pant with his imperial boots, he really loves these boots – especially for riding. His jacket is heavy with appliqued buttons, embroidered with a decorated yellow stitching. It was one of the nicest jackets he owned. Both men begin changing. They know clothes make the man... and both have someone, whether admitted or not, they want to impress tonight.

Meanwhile, Elsa nervously explains herself to her advisers in the room adjacent. The Queen paces as the fancily dressed men stroke their chins and pout in response to her pleas, "Please. Hans has no charges against the kingdom, if anything he's a hero of the kingdom. I am back, and will take my rightful duty with the crown."

"Speaking of which," an old man with a pointed mustache sneers at the Queen, where is your, eh, crown."

Elsa bites her lip. She had thrown it off a mountain, "It must have gotten misplaced..."

"Hm, yes... well, you'll need a replacement for tonight," the men bicker and discuss over the trivial matters. The only reason the Queen keeps them around was because her father believed in their capabilities.

"Your majesty," Kai comes in, huffing with a seeming lack of oxygen, "the guests are beginning to mingle and await your appearance."

"Thank you Kai," Elsa gazes over at the aging men she was supposed to follow for advice, "I await my crown."

"Yes, I will go retrieve it," the servant leaves.

The Queen continues to let the men argue, she had the ultimate say anyways. Her meeting room was adorned in gold and fancy Nordic design. She had always liked how peaceful the room was – when it was void of people, of course. A large mirror hangs across the room and she catches her face in it.

She looked regal, special. Her dress was simple, but elegant. It was embellished like the one she had made for herself in her other castle. The gloves had found their way back to her fingers and she found herself safer than ever before. The kingdom respected her, if not feared her... and it would take more than parties to change that.

"Queen Elsa," Kai comes through the carved door once more evoking attention from those in the room, "your father's crown has been stolen!"

"What?" Elsa moves quickly, leaving the room and heading out into the bustling air of a party. People litter the hallways and the ballroom. She follows Kai down the stairs, distracted and visibly upset – who would have stolen the crown?

A large circle sits in the middle of the marble floor, blocking people from passing, the Queen huffs a moment. She had drawn quite the number of stares from guests – traditionally she would have been announced to the party not just run out like she had. An arm reaches out from the circle and pulls her in, tensing her sensitive body to the core.

"Elsa!" Anna's intoxicating laugh sounds through the entire castle. Her hair is wound up with a green ribbon and her dress is a flirtier version of the Queen's, "This guy is so funny!"

"This is the story of how I froze to death..."

"Oh, _come on_ Eugene!"

* * *

**I hope I didn't kill you with the Tangled (Rapunzel) references. :D I wonder who that pair in the middle of the circle is? And who stole the crown? Oh. I wonder. ;)**

**Comments, feedback, and reviews are greatly appreciated - thank you all very much to those who continue to support the story!**

**ElsaLover4Ever - Okay, for starters... I love every single review you posted, hahah! :) Also your username, total awesomeness! Hopefully I can fit the pair in alright... I mean they're there right now! :D We have a lot more to do with Hans's past so that should be something to look forward to! I really appreciate the reviews, I loved reading every single one! I love giving people feels!**

**Little Chicago - I am! :) Thanks for commenting! And thank you very much, I'm glad you like the story!**

**Ironwolf116 - Thank you very much! I appreciate the review! :D Thanks for reading!**

**LillyStoppable - Awwww thanks! That is so sweet! I'd love it if more people would read the story because it's so much fun reading people's reviews! I'm glad the big chapter lived up to its name! There's still a lot to do though, I promise! :D I mean, what would happen if the brothers show up by accident? Ooops, did that slip? ;) Hahah, and yay! Pie! Thanks for reviewing I always look forward to yours! :)**

**Myths And Madness - Oh, from this point on... it's pretty much Missbexiee cannon. Like little bits and pieces will happen - but this is end of movie AND BEYOND! Hah, Toy Story. :) That'd be really cute, the Olaf idea... it is so hard for me to write him though. I'll work on it though! It'll make me better in the end! :) I'm really glad you liked that last chapter because that was so much fun to write! :D Thanks for reviewing! I love it!**

**S10Luxoka - I am trying! :D So happy you like the story! Thank you for reviewing! **

**JavertInMinature - They're coming! :) And so is more romance! :D They're not as open as Anna and Kristoff so they're moments are a bit slower... but still pack a punch! Thanks for reading and reviewing, I appreciate it a lot! :D**


End file.
